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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23416186">Returning</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexdamien/pseuds/alexdamien'>alexdamien</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Remade Anew [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Saint Seiya</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse, Alcohol, Comedy, M/M, Romance, Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:54:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,879</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23416186</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexdamien/pseuds/alexdamien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Athena is bringing back all of her Saints fallen in battle, and some that aren't even her own. But she seems to have a greater plan in mind. Rhadakanon with mentions of MiloxCamus and ShionxDohko<br/></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gemini Kanon/Wyvern Rhadamanthys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Remade Anew [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633726</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mu called them back.</p><p>They heard the calling, and the path opened before them to rush back to life.</p><p>Saga opened his eyes first, same as he had done at birth. Kanon awoke just a heartbeat later, laying down on the stone slab next to and upside down from Saga. They sat up, still holding hands, as their eyes got used to the lights around them and turned them into shapes.</p><p>“Saga? Kanon?” they heard Mu’s voice once more and snapped to attention.</p><p>They blinked. The shapes defining in their eyes, and they saw they were in a hall with torches all around.</p><p>Kanon felt an armored hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Mu standing next to him. Saga felt a delicate hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Athena.</p><p>“You’re back,” she said, smiling down at them.</p><p>Kanon looked down at where he still held on to Saga’s hand. Their fingers entwining. Saga looked at his own hand too.</p><p>They screamed and let go.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One month after them, during the next full moon, Death Mask was brought back. Mu escorted him down to Aldebaran’s house, where they were all staying since it was the least damaged of all houses.</p>
<p>“It will only be a few days more. We’re fixing the bedrooms first so you can stay there while the rest of the structure is renovated,” was saying Mu when he and Death Mask walked out to the garden of the Taurus house, where Aldebaran had set up a lamb on a spit and Saga and Kanon sat on the ground, waiting for food.</p>
<p>“Ah, Aldebaran, you didn’t have to. The servants…”</p>
<p>“Are all in chaos," he said, turning the lamp over the fire. "No sense burdening them with our needs too. I told them it was fine to just focus on the essentials. We can take care of ourselves.”</p>
<p>Mu smiled and nodded. “Thank you. I was going to do just that, but it’s been so busy,” he said.</p>
<p>Death Mask sat down on the ground next to Kanon, sighed, and just laid down fully on the grass. “So we’re all coming back, then? Fuck, that’s the best news I’ve gotten since I was made a Saint. But I’m too tired, I can’t even be happy about it.”</p>
<p>“Your bodies are too new. Don’t make too much of an effort for a while. At least a couple months,” said Mu.</p>
<p>Death Mask gave a thumbs up. “I can do that.”</p>
<p>“Also try not to drink too much.”</p>
<p>Thumbs down. “I can’t do that”</p>
<p>“Death Mask…” said Mu, with a warning tone, but he couldn’t help but to smile a little at that.</p>
<p>“No, I feel him,” said Kanon, also laying down on the grass. “I could really use a drink now.”</p>
<p>“Eyyy,” said Death Mask, lifting a hand for a high five. Kanon lifted his hand and high fived him too. Saga huffed in annoyance.</p>
<p>Mu laughed and pulled out a couple of scrolls. “Well, since we’re already here, I might as well tell you. Aldebaran and I have been thinking of making some changes to the houses during the renovations. Essentially, we would like to make some inner residences for each one. Something like inner chambers for us to live more privately. The Aries and Libra houses have them, built by our predecessors. I think the Sagittarius house has something like that too, so it’s not such a new idea, and Athena has already authorized it for those who want them.”</p>
<p>“Like…,” started Death Mask, scratching at his chin. “A smaller house inside our sign houses?”</p>
<p>“Much smaller, just a kitchen, bath and bedroom.”</p>
<p>“That sounds good. I’ve always felt the chambers are way too open. No doors and all that. I mean it’s fine, but living in an actual house would be nicer.”</p>
<p>“Perfect. So we’ll make yours, Aldebaran’s, and fix what’s left of the Aries one. Saga? Kanon?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” said Kanon.”</p>
<p>“No,” said Saga.</p>
<p>Kanon sat up. “What? Why? It’s a great idea!”</p>
<p>“It’s unnecessary. We shouldn’t take more resources away from necessary repairs.”</p>
<p>“Gods, it’ll be just a few more bricks, what’s the matter?”</p>
<p>“It won’t be just a few more bricks. It’ll be like building twelve new houses. We are not at a point where we can just take resources away from the essentials.”</p>
<p>“What? You’re acting as if it’s gonna come out of your own pocket. You’re not the pope anymore, you don’t have to worry about that”</p>
<p>Saga glared at him, his hand clenching into a fist. Mu sat down between them.</p>
<p>“Hey, hey, we don’t need to take a decision right now. Why don’t you guys think about it over the next few months, and see what should be priority in the Gemini house?”</p>
<p>Saga and Kanon calmed down and looked away from each other. But they didn’t answer.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aioria was brought back by the next full moon, but he insisted on staying alone on Leo, even though half the structure of the house had crumbled down and he was basically sleeping out in the open.</p>
<p>“Goddamn drama queen,” muttered Death Mask, playing around with the measuring tape as he, Kanon, and Mu walked up the stairs towards Leo.</p>
<p>“It’s a Leo thing. They’re so dramatic,” said Kanon with a snicker.</p>
<p>“That’s enough,” said Mu with a sigh. He climbed up the last few steps to Leo, where Aioria was clearing some of the debris blocking the entrance.</p>
<p>“So I’m the drama queen? Not the one who decorated the walls of his house with the faces of his enemies?” grumbled Aioria, throwing aside a big boulder.</p>
<p>“Hey, it’s décor. Now, where are you gonna want the house built?” asked Death Mask</p>
<p>“Wherever. Just…put it wherever. I don’t care.”</p>
<p>“That’s some nice attitude for life, uh? Look, you don’t have to be a jackass.”</p>
<p>Aioria crushed the boulder in his hands to dust and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, it’s just…I’m so- Argh... Second death. Third go at life. And I still barely got to see Aioros from afar. Because I couldn’t find him in death. I couldn’t see him in life or in death, and all I get is nothing more than a glimpse.”</p>
<p>Mu placed his hand on Aioria’s shoulder. “Be patient. Aioros will be brought back too. We all will.”</p>
<p>Aioria rubbed at his face. “I just…don’t even want to hope anymore.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the end, Saga had kept his foot down on the issue of not building a residence in the Gemini house. And so, much to Kanon’s displeasure, they slowly eased back into the routine they’d had years before. Decades before. Way back, before Saga had decided to jail him in Cape Sunion.</p>
<p>“I should have at least half of a vote,” said Kanon, sitting down at the table for dinner. Saga sat across from him.</p>
<p>“You don’t, and you shouldn’t,” said Saga, without even looking at him.</p>
<p>Servants brought forth the plates before them. Kanon leaned back on his seat as they set everything down on the white table cloth. He could feel their eyes on him. The way they stared at the both of them as if they weren’t really human.</p>
<p>It had always pissed him off.</p>
<p>“Did you eat this way too? When you were pretending to be Shion?” asked Kanon, wanting to hit him where he knew it hurt.</p>
<p>Saga grabbed the fork in his hand so hard, it bent. “Behave,” he said with a warning tone. “We’re only just back.”</p>
<p>“Sadly,” muttered Kanon</p>
<p>They kept on having dinner, under the watchful eyes of the servants around them.</p>
<p>Kanon felt their stares on him even as they retired to bed in the chamber he shared with Saga.</p>
<p>“I hate this,” he said, sitting down on the stone bed lying next to and opposite Saga’s.</p>
<p>“Me too,” answered Saga.</p>
<p>“You do a shit of a lot of things you hate.”</p>
<p>“I guess it’s a habit.”</p>
<p>Kanon huffed and laid back down at the same time as Saga.</p>
<p>“You didn’t hate a lot of those things. Some of it, you really fucking enjoyed,” muttered Kanon, trying for one last low blow before going to sleep.</p>
<p>“Even that, I hate,” whispered Saga.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment or kudos. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the libra residence was completed, and against Mu’s advice, Dohko threw a party at his house that same very night. He even invited the bronze knights, also against Mu’s advice.</p>
<p>“How old are you kids?” asked Dohko, giving them whiskey shots.</p>
<p>“Seventeen,” Shun and Seiya said. Behind them, Shiryu gave a long suffering sigh.</p>
<p>“Ah, that’s good enough. Go at it boys,” said Dohko, and then turned away to refill Shaka’s glass. Mu promptly took away the shot glasses and gave them glasses full of soda, an exhausted expression in his face as he went to hide the shot glasses behind some debris in a corner.</p>
<p>Shiryu chased after Dohko when he saw him produce even more shot glasses.</p>
<p>“Old Master, you’ve only just been back, please don’t drink too much.”</p>
<p>“Psh, I’m not drinking too much. Back in the day, you have no idea how wild the parties were!”</p>
<p>Shiryu still managed to pry the bottle away from him and go give it back to Mu, while Shun and Seiya crowded around Dohko and the others.</p>
<p>“Gods, being dead sucks,” said Milo, downing the last of his glass. “So, a Saint every full moon then? That means Camus is coming back in a couple months!”</p>
<p>“And my brother is next!” said Aioria.</p>
<p>“Uhmm, about that…,” started Mu, looking down. “I’m afraid he will not be called back next full moon. No one is coming back the next full moon.”</p>
<p>“What?! Why not?” cried Aioria, the glass in his hand cracking.</p>
<p>Mu lowered his eyes. “Athena says that he has been dead too long. It would be better to bring him back at the end, even after she brings back master Shion”</p>
<p>“Sh-Shion is coming back?” asked Dohko.</p>
<p>“No, wait! Shion gets to be brought back first? But he was dead longer than Aioros!” yelled Aioria. He turned to Saga. “When did you kill each of them? You couldn’t have killed Shion much earlier than Aioros!”</p>
<p>Saga paled, his face turning white as a ghost. Kanon couldn’t help but cackle at that, knowing that he was never going to be able to land such a low blow as that one.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ahhhh, writing Saga is so difficult! @.@U</p>
<p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kanon had nightmares every night. Some nights would be less bad than the others, but none of them were “good”. No nighttime brought him rest, and he was starting to seriously consider pummeling the stone slab under his mattress.</p>
<p>“We could at least change these damn rocks for actual beds,” complained Kanon as he and Saga went to sleep.</p>
<p>“You have a mattress, it’s not like the fact that they’re made of stone matters much,” said Saga, sitting down on his own bed.</p>
<p>Across from him, Kanon grabbed one of the smaller pillows on the bed and threw it at him. The pillow vanished in midair.</p>
<p>“They’re cold! The mattress is freezing!” yelled Kanon</p>
<p>Saga laid down on the bed without bothering to answer. Kanon laid down too.</p>
<p>The rustling of the curtains annoyed him. He could also feel people- the servants-, moving around the Gemini house. The weak flames of their souls drifting in and out around the house. He felt them as if they were crawling under his skin, and hated the fact that the Gemini armor had claimed him too. What was the point of also being a Gemini saint if he couldn’t even decide on the placing of his own bed?</p>
<p>He glared at the high vaulted stone ceiling above them. Death Mask had been right. The house itself was too open. Even the rooms at the palaces of Poseidon weren’t these open and wide and…exposed. Kanon gritted his teeth, realizing that the reason why he had been so uncomfortable was because he felt exposed all the time.</p>
<p>“This close to you,” said Saga from his bed. “I can’t sleep if you’re winding yourself up like that.”</p>
<p>“Fuck off.”</p>
<p>The pillow rematerialized over Kanon and hit him straight in the face.</p>
<p>Saga went to sleep, and Kanon felt the pull into sleep too. This close, and in these beds, he had always felt so uncomfortably close to Saga. He felt his eyelids starting to fall, and hated the fact that he would have to bear yet another night of terrors and nightmares. He glanced to where he could see Saga’s hair spilling down the pillow, down the bed. He looked to his side and saw his own hair had gotten just as long. Even their breathing, he knew, would sync. But he did not dare to confirm it.</p>
<p>It was enough of a terror for him to go to sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The nightmares woke up Kanon.</p>
<p>He was drowning. Drowning and reaching out in despair because his lungs burned so bad in his chest.</p>
<p>He opened his eyes to see someone looming nearby and he jumped up from the bed. Saga rubbed at his temple.</p>
<p>“You were having nightmares too?” he asked.</p>
<p>Kanon panted, taking deep breaths. “This is why I fucking hate these damn beds!” he yelled, tearing the pillow into pieces and throwing the covers away. “I want you to stay in your own head and leave me alone in mine!”</p>
<p>Saga sighed and laid back down on the bed.</p>
<p>“Might as well hate your own fate that set us together in the womb as twins, and placed us in this house of Gemini”</p>
<p>“Twins? There was always three of us. And even now there’s a third shadow lurking between us. You had that shadow on you just as much as I had evil in me. But my evil…I knew my evil as I knew my face. You never knew the full darkness of your shadow.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kanon went fishing. It was the farthest he could be from the Sanctuary without actually escaping from it, so it was as comfortable as he could be. And he had always liked the sea. Even when Saga had locked him up in Cape Sunion. That had probably been the only thing keeping him sane then. He had hated Saga. Hated the Sanctuary. Hated every star in the sky spelling out the painful fate of his life.</p>
<p>But he hadn’t hated the sea.</p>
<p>It had made it easier to fool Poseidon back then. Too bad he was very much not welcome in his domains anymore. He stayed near the pier, knowing that Athena’s protection extended quite far into the waters surrounding them, but also knowing that Poseidon held him in barely restrained contempt, and would not doubt have his waves swallow him up as soon as any excuse arose.</p>
<p>Kanon stayed fishing for longer, enjoying the contempt and the disgust that Poseidon held for him.  He looked at the waves afar, and suddenly noticed something off to the right. Just a little beyond his peripheral vision. A dot over the waves. He stood up, grabbing his fishes, and stared at the dot, noticing it was a person being pushed into the shore by the waves. He packed up his fishing rod and ran down the beach, wondering whose corpse he would find. It wasn’t every day that you found a body floating at sea. He let down everything at the beach and waddled into the waters. It seemed like a very tall man. Probably as tall as him. In fact, there was something oddly familiar about him.</p>
<p>Kanon grabbed a hold of the black shirt he wore and pulled him to the shore. He could feel some life energy on him. A very familiar life energy. Too familiar.</p>
<p>He sighed and dumped him on the sand, then sat down next to him, already thinking the worst. He pushed the wet blonde hair away from his face to look into Rhadamanthys’ face.</p>
<p>“Well, look at this,” muttered Kanon to himself. “I offed myself to get rid of you and yet you still end up haunting me. I should just kill you again. Make sure you’re really dead this time.”</p>
<p>Kanon gritted his teeth, annoyed at having found him. Despite what he said, he knew they had both died There was no question about that. The real question now was, who had brought him back? Poseidon? He wouldn’t put it past him to bring Rhadamanthys back just to annoy him. But of course, there was also the possibility that Athena herself had brought him back. After all, no Golden Saint had been brought back this full moon. There was the possibility it had been her.</p>
<p>With the whims of the gods, there was always a possibility for just about anything. Gods very often did things just for the heck of it. Randomly and according to their divine natures. But other times it was worse. Other times they had <em>plans</em></p>
<p>He stared at Rhadamanthys for a few moments, then reached out with his fingers to feel Rhadamanthys’ neck, looking for a pulse.</p>
<p>“Your goddess has a shit sense of humor,” said Rhadamanthys, opening his eyes. “Throwing me here like trash to be picked up by the one who killed me.”</p>
<p>Kanon’s touch changed into a strangling hold on his neck. “I can send you back to death if you’re so annoyed by that.”</p>
<p>"And ruin your goddess' plans? She brought me back and then you kill me again? I'd like to see you explain <em>that</em>."</p>
<p>Kanon growled low in his throat. This jackass had gone through all the same thoughts as he had while pretending to be unconscious. But how could he be so sure that he had been brought back by Athena? Oh, but he didn’t have to be sure. He just had to present the possibility to Kanon and hope for the best. He just had to lie and hope he wasn’t lying.</p>
<p>Seeing his own tricks reflected back at him Kanon found that he didn’t have the energy or mood to endure it.</p>
<p>“Why don’t you go back to taking a nap?” he said with a smile, and knocked him out.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finally they meet! Yay!</p>
<p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rhadamanthys woke up to one of the worst headaches he could remember. He blinked, trying to take in his surroundings, but even his eyes hurt.</p>
<p>“Don’t make too much effort,” said a soft voice nearby. Rhadamanthys’ blood ran cold. “At least for a few months. I did not bring you back in full strength. I’m sure you can understand why.”</p>
<p>Rhamanthys took a deep breath and opened his eyes despite the pain. He pushed himself up from the ground. Next to him burned a blue fire that warmed the cave where he was, and next to the fire sat Athena, staring into the flames.</p>
<p>“What do you want? Why did you bring me back?” demanded Rhadamanthys.</p>
<p>Athena didn’t look at him, merely held out her hand. “Your arm, please,” she said.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys did not move. Athena sighed. “You will remain in my sanctuary for the foreseeable future,” she said, and Rhadamanthys felt a burning pain in his arm. “I have plans that will require your participation.”</p>
<p>“You must be desperate if you have to bring back your enemies from the grave to fulfill your plans,” grunted Rhadamanthys, trying to ignore the feeling of fire clawing at his arm.</p>
<p>The fire flickered green, then back to blue. Athena lowered her head and the cascade of her hair covered her face.</p>
<p>“Do you really think I have fought this war for thousands of years, over and over again, match after match, age after age,” said her voice, coming from all over the cave, echoing in Rhadamanthys’ head. “And not know what to do in victory?”</p>
<p>The fire in his arm spread out to his chest, burning him inside, tearing at him with heated claws. He gasped in pain, willing himself not to cry out.</p>
<p>“Please, enjoy my hospitality for the time being,” she said, looking up at him, but her eyes were gone. Two holes in her face stared back at Rhadamanthys.</p>
<p>He woke up.</p>
<p>Next to him a fire, bright orange, burned away. There were no traces of Athena. He pulled up his sleeve to look at his arm, and found the seal of Athena burned on his skin.</p>
<p>He looked around, feeling eyes on him from somewhere beyond the entrance of the cave. There was a strange heaviness to the atmosphere, as if something weighed in the very air. Waiting.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kanon went fishing the next day. Early in the day, to enjoy the sunrise and not have to have breakfast with Saga. Afterwards he walked by the cave where he had left Rhadamanthys, and saw him sitting at the entrance. He hadn’t expected to still find him there.</p>
<p>“Well, look at that, you’re still here. You like the place? You can swear loyalty to Athena and stay at the sanctuary any time you want,” he mocked him.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys stood up and walked up to him. Kanon readied for a fist fight, but Rhadamanthys only reached out slowly and grabbed the three fishes that Kanon carried on a rope , then went back inside the cave. Kanon rolled his eyes at that and followed him inside.</p>
<p>“Do you even know how to clean those?” he asked, taking the fishes back. “I’ll clean them, you go get more wood for the fire.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys grunted, but did as he was told. He was hungry. Very hungry.</p>
<p>“She brought you all back, then,” said Rhadamanthys while tending to the fire.</p>
<p>“She’s on it. We have different arrival schedules. The winners get certain privileges. Where are your other friends?”</p>
<p>“You tell me.”</p>
<p>“What?” asked Kanon, looking up from where he had finished cleaning the fishes.</p>
<p>“I haven’t seen anyone other than me,” said Rhadamanthys, leaning back against the rock wall. “Minos or Aiakos…not even Pandora.”</p>
<p>“Hmph, that’s funny,” said Kanon, getting back to what he was doing. He grabbed a couple strong sticks that Rhadamanthys had brought and used them to set the fishes over the fire. They sat before the fire in silence for a moment, before Rhadamantys scoffed a laugh.</p>
<p>“So, you’re keeping me a secret then?” he asked with a smirk.</p>
<p>“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”</p>
<p>“You didn’t know that I was the only one back. Which means that you didn’t report to Athena that you’d found me. And if you didn’t tell her, then you didn’t tell anyone else.”</p>
<p>Kanon gritted his teeth. Rhadamanthys was turning out to be too smart of his own good.</p>
<p>“That’s fine. She knows I’m here,” he said, pulling up his sleeve to show Kanon the seal burned in his skin. Kanon reached out to trace the letters on his skin.</p>
<p>“She wants you for something,” he said, taking away his hand.</p>
<p>“Wow, what an astounding conclusion, Mr. Genius,” said Rhadamanthys.</p>
<p>“Keep that up, I won’t share my food anymore.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing and posting schedules go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the first time since coming back, Kanon ran into the Gemini house looking for Saga. He grinned as he held up the costumes in his hands.</p>
<p>“What is it now?” called Saga, from the studio.</p>
<p>Kanon ran into the room and set the costumes over the desk in front of his brother.</p>
<p>“Here they are! A cat and a dog!” he said with an evil grin.</p>
<p>Saga rolled his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Is this about that Halloween party you’ve all been talking about?”</p>
<p>“Aphrodite helped me choose them.”</p>
<p>“Oh, no. That can’t be good. A cat and a dog? Are you serious? Why did you ever think this is a good idea?”</p>
<p>Kanon extended the dog costume even more for Saga to see. “Yep. They are very cute and we’re going to have a lot of fun. Here, you’ll be the dog.”</p>
<p>“What? Why do I have to be the dog? You be the dog!” cried Saga, standing up from the desk.</p>
<p>“Fine!” said Kanon, pulling away the dog costume and leaving behind the cat one. Then he skipped out with his own.</p>
<p>Saga blinked, realizing he had been fooled. He pulled out the costume from the transparent bag where it was and noticed it wasn’t a full costume like the dog one, but a two part costume with a very short top. It would barely go down at his midriff.</p>
<p>“Kanon…” he growled.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re a party pooper,” said Kanon, filling Saga’s glass with an outrageous amount of vodka.</p><p>Saga, who had exchanged the cat crop top for a Greek tunic, yet kept the ears and paws, did not reject the alcohol. But once he had his fill, he grabbed the bottle and filled Kanon’s glass in the same way too.</p><p>“We’re going down together,” he said.</p><p>Kanon, seeing him pour the drink, decided that it wasn’t such a bad idea.</p><p>“Don’t we always do that?” he said.</p><p>Aphrodite sauntered in front of them.</p><p>“Just for the record,” he said, grabbing both of their shoulders. “My plan was to have you both dress up as ghosts and wear the same costume. Like creepy ghost twins. But <em>someone</em> thought the cat and dog were cuter. A wasted opportunity.” He sauntered away to try and pry Milo away from the karaoke machine.</p><p>“I was wrong, you made the right call on the costumes,” said Saga, clinking his glass with Kanon.</p><p>“Hey, at least it wasn’t <em>that</em>.”</p><p>Shura and Deathmask, dressed respectively a knight and a witch, appeared behind them.</p><p>“Well, look at that, Dite got Milo off the Karaoke machine,” said Shura.</p><p>“I think it’s someone else’s turn now,” said Deathmask.</p><p>They both grabbed Saga’s arms, but he planted his heels down. “No. I’m not nearly drunk enough yet.”</p><p>Deathmask and Shura smirked at each other. They grabbed Saga by the legs too, and carried him up in arms towards the karaoke machine. Saga kicked off Shura, making him crash into a table piled up with food and candles. The table broke under his weight, but Deathmask pulled up Saga, carrying him kicking and screaming over his shoulders towards the machine, where Mu could barely stop himself from laughing out loud, and Shaka was taking photos.</p><p>“Make him sing Hot Stuff!” yelled Kanon and took a step back, hitting against Aioria and making him splash his drink all over himself. “Oof, sorry Aioria.”</p><p>Aioria made an annoyed face. “It’s fine,” he muttered.</p><p>“What happened?” asked Shura, pushing himself up from the ruined table.</p><p>Aioria gaped at the sight of him. “Shura your hair is on fire!” he said, reaching out to slap at Shura’s hair.”</p><p>Shura didn’t move, just let Aioria pat him in the head. Hot Stuff started playing on the karaoke machine. Milo and Aphrodite approached them.</p><p>“What’s going on? Why are you slapping him?” asked Aphrodite.</p><p>Shura took a sip of his glass. “I’m on fire.”</p><p>Aphrodite regarded him. “Oh, you <em>are</em>,” he said, pointing at his cape. They all looked down, and saw the flames creeping up his costume.</p><p>“Shura take that off,” said Milo. “Look, the table is also on fire. Let’s go look for a fire extinguisher.”</p><p>“No, I’ll get this,” said Shura, and started stepping on the fire to quench it, completely forgetting the fact that he had just been drenched in alcohol when he fell on the table.</p><p>“I don’t think that’s going to help,” said Aioria, rubbing at his temple. “This would have been a good moment to have Camus around.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah, why didn’t he come?” asked Kanon.</p><p>A whiskey bottle caught on fire and exploded. Kanon and Shura moved to shield Aioria from the glass, laughing their heads off.</p><p>Aphrodite, who had covered both Milo and himself with his cape, huffed in annoyance. “My costume! If it gets ruined, I’ll hold all of you responsible,” he said and started walking towards the door. “I’m gonna go look for a fire extinguisher. You keep that under control!”</p><p>Saga interrupted his rendition of Can’t Touch This to yell at them. “What are you all doing over there?” he demanded.</p><p>Milo, Aioria, Shura and Kanon made a line in front of the fire to hide it from view.</p><p>“We dropped a candle, it’s ok,” said Kanon.</p><p>“No, not you. You lie. Shura?”</p><p>“I dropped the candles. Sorry,” said Shura, holding up his hands. Which wasn’t a lie at all. “Aphrodite went to get an extinguisher.” Then he made a sign to Death Mask to distract Saga, and Death Mask started passing vodka shots around, effectively taking away everyone’s attention to himself.</p><p>The four turned around and looked at the fire that had consumed most of the table and was now creeping up the walls.</p><p>“This really would have been a good time for Camus to be here,” finally admitted Shura. He tried stepping on the edges of the fire, but his boot caught on fire. “Well, shit, I’m out of ideas.”</p><p>“I’ve been sending Camus messages and calling the bastard,” said Milo, pulling out his phone. “But he doesn’t answer! He has been ignoring me all the damn week!”</p><p>“Maybe if we throw soda at it?” asked Aioria, and threw his drink at the fire. It helped very little, but by then the flames were crawling halfway up the wall into the ceiling. Another bottle exploded.</p><p>“You’ve been drinking soda all night?” asked Kanon.</p><p>Aioria shrugged. “I didn’t feel like drinking. I’m still pissed Aioros isn’t coming back.”</p><p>“He’s coming back after Shion,” said Shura, patting at his flaming cape.</p><p>“Yeah man, you’ve waited twenty years. Hang on for a little while more,” said Milo. His phone started ringing by playing Boogie Wonderland and he turned away a couple steps to pick the call. “Oh, it’s Aphrodite. Aphrodite? Did you find the fire extinguisher?”</p><p>Shura placed a hand on Aioria’s shoulder. The tips of his hair had started catching fire from the flames in his cape. “He’ll be back. Don’t worry about it.”</p><p>“Your hair is on fire again,” muttered Aioria.</p><p>“Listen to me! He’ll be back. One way or another. If Athena doesn’t bring him back we’ll just crash into the underworld and drag him out. Now there’s no Hades and no judges to stop us!”</p><p>“Shura, you’re drunk. I couldn’t even find him when I was dead myself. And neither could you.”</p><p>Shaka approached. “Guys, I already called the firefighters. Maybe we should get out of here,” he said, the ears from his bunny costume flopping on his head.</p><p>Aioria pushed him away. “Athena won’t let us drag his soul out just like that!”</p><p>Shura grabbed Aioria’s hands “Then I’ll exchange my soul for his! I don’t care!”</p><p>Kanon laughed. “Yeah, and you can throw Saga’s soul in too. It’s not like he needs it or anything.”</p><p>“Stop it,” muttered Aioria.</p><p>“No, seriously,” he signaled to Saga, who had started doing shots with Aldebaran. “Saga, would you give your soul to Aioros?”</p><p>“He wants it?” asked Saga, confused.</p><p>“Maybe.”</p><p>“Oh. Yeah,” he said, and went back to doing shots.</p><p>“See?”</p><p>Aioria let go of him and started patting at Shura’s hair. “Gods, we have to get out of here. Half your costume is on fire.”</p><p>Shura started patting off the flames on him, then he turned to Milo “What is taking Aphrodite so long?” he demanded.</p><p>“No, it’s not Aphrodite. It’s Camus,” said Milo</p><p>“Seriously? Then where the hell did Aphrodite go? Did he go build the damn extinguisher?”</p><p>“No- Ugh. I don’t know where Aphrodite went. Look, just roll around, we’ll pay for the carpet later,” said Milo.</p><p>Shura went back to the others. “No one knows where Aphrodite is. Milo says to roll on the carpet. Does that work?”</p><p>Aioria grabbed a bottle of mineral water from a different table that was also starting to be consumed by the fire and dumped it over Shura. It saved his hair, but there wasn’t nearly enough for the rest of his costume. Kanon tore away the flaming cape and threw it away with the rest of the fire on the corner.</p><p>Milo was now yelling into the phone. “-And now he’s on fire, and we have <em>more </em>fires, and Aphrodite went to look for the fire extinguisher but he’s not back yet! How long does it take to find a damn fire extinguisher??”</p><p>Aphrodite stalked through the door. “I found it asshole!” he said, holding up two extinguishers from the bottom because the tops where on fire.</p><p>Milo turned around to see him. “Well, finally! What the hell was the-“ he cut off and started laughing hysterically.</p><p>Kanon sighed. “Aaand, that’s our cue to get out,” he said and along with Aioria, started pulling Shura out of the room, but he tripped over his own feet and almost fell over the both of them.</p><p>Deathmask jogged up to them. “He’s still on fire?” he asked, facepalming. “ And he’s drunk off his ass. I told him he was drinking too fast. Hand him over. The bathroom’s over here, I’ll put off the fire on him and drag him out.”</p><p>“You need help?” asked Kanon.</p><p>“No, I’ll get him out, don’t worry,” said Deathmask with a dismissive wave. “It’s not the first time this happens.”</p><p>They waved at him and walked out of the building through the flaming hallways. On the way out they passed a few firefighters who yelled at them to get the hell out. By the time they got out into the street, the fire had almost consumed the whole building, with flames rising into the sky.</p><p>They stood in silence, seeing the flames against the black sky, until Camus arrived running, dressed up in a vampire costume.</p><p>“Oh, hey Camus,” said Kanon. “A bit late, uh?”</p><p>“Where is…Where are the others?” he asked, almost out of breath.</p><p>“Uhmm, I don’t know. Last I saw anyone, they were still at the room in the third floor, but then the firefighters forced us to get out.”</p><p>Saga then walked out of the building through the flames, holding a bottle of wine on each hand like the diva he was.</p><p>“Oh, Camus. Milo is in the back garden if you were looking for him,” he drawled, swaying a little on his feet as he approached them, until he tripped and Kanon had to hold him up.</p><p>Camus raised an eyebrow at Saga’s state. “Uhm, thanks,” he said and walked into the building.</p><p>“Where’s Aioros?” asked Saga to Kanon</p><p>“Dead,” said Kanon.</p><p>“But he needed my soul.”</p><p>“<em>May</em> need. He still <em>may</em> need,” said Kanon, looking into Saga’s face. “Fuck, you’re blacked out, uh? You’re not going to remember any of this shit tomorrow. You haven’t changed anything. You still mess up and then don’t remember a thing of it later.”</p><p>But Saga was already unconscious, leaving Kanon seething at him. Now he would have to drag him back to Gemini and endure having him passed out right next to him. It brought back memories of when the other side would come out. Sometimes Saga fought it. Sometimes, it came about so overwhelming, he wouldn’t notice it fast enough to fight back.</p><p>He wouldn’t even remember.</p><p>“Are you ok?” asked Aioria. “You want help getting back to Gemini?”</p><p>Kanon smirked at him. “I don’t,” he said, and threw Saga into Aioria’s arms. “But he does. And you’re sober! How very convenient. Please make sure he gets back to Gemini.”</p><p>He ran away, not caring about whatever Aioria was calling out behind him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to find out what was happening with Camus during all of this nonsense, you can go read my fic "I just realized" which explains everything. It is MiloxCamus.</p><p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rhadamanthys felt Kanon’s cosmos even before he arrived. There was something wild about his energy, but even knowing that, he did not expect to see him stumble drunkenly into the cave, dressed in a dog costume, holding a bottle of whiskey in one hand.</p><p>“What the fuck happened to you?” asked Rhadamanthys while Kanon sat down next to him before the fire that he kept at the cave.</p><p>“Uh, the party kinda crashed and burned a bit,” drawled Kanon. “Literally.”</p><p>“…Seriously? Are you serious? Please tell me this is a joke. I cannot believe Athena allows you to go around behaving like clowns.”</p><p>Kanon shrugged. “Work hard, party hard. That wins battles. Whiskey?” he said, holding up the bottle towards Rhadamanthys.</p><p>“Your lack of discipline is astounding,” grumbled Rhadamanthys.</p><p>“So, no whiskey?”</p><p>Rhadamanthys grabbed the bottle. He hadn’t had anything to drink since coming back. He looked at the label, it was some cheap trash whiskey, and of course he didn’t even have a glass. So much for Athena’s hospitality. He took a swig of the bottle. It burned at the back of his throat.</p><p>“This is the worst thing I’ve ever drank.”</p><p>“I know, right?” said Kanon, taking the bottle from him and taking a drink. “It’s awful. I don’t know who bought the drinks for the party. Probably Deathmask.”</p><p>He leaned against Rhadamanthys, then pulled away. “You’re hella cold!”</p><p>“Yes. My body doesn’t emit any heat.”</p><p>“Why?!”</p><p>“How am I supposed to know? I didn’t build my own body! I didn’t bring myself back.”</p><p>Kanon huffed, but leaned against him again anyway. “You’re a weirdo,” he drawled.</p><p>“It’s your goddess’ fault,” said Rhadamanthys, taking another drink from the bottle. “She has not been nearly as kind with the losers as with the winners,” he muttered and looked back at Kanon, but he was already asleep leaning against him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kanon dreamed of Saga. He dreamed of staying in Gemini with Saga. In that same bedroom with the same two stone beds that felt cold under his back. Of hearing him speak in his sleep. Most of the time, he spoke to the darkness. Some nights, he didn’t speak at all. On those nights, Kanon might wake up to find the darkness had taken over.</p>
<p>On those nights, the darkness spoke to him.</p>
<p>But only if he was lucky. If he was not, he might awake to find the darkness would want to hear <em>him</em> speak. And it would close Saga’s hands over his throat, make him wake up to the feeling of drowning. Of a burning inside his chest.</p>
<p>Kanon sat up panting, his hand reaching out to his neck, but there was nothing there. He blinked, wondering where he was. Next to him sat Rhadamanthys, reading a book. The smell of coffee reached his nose, and his racing heart started slowing down.</p>
<p>“How trashed are you feeling?” asked Rhadamanthys</p>
<p>Kanon rubbed at his eyes and groaned. “Coffee…,” he whined.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys set down his book and reached for the pot of coffee and served a mug for each of them.</p>
<p>“When did you get mugs?” asked Kanon.</p>
<p>“They would have come in handy yesterday, but I went out and got them this morning,” said Rhadamanthys.</p>
<p>“This morn-…what hour is it?”</p>
<p>“Way past noon.”</p>
<p>“Ugh,” he grumbled, taking sips of his coffee. Kanon’s phone started ringing in his pocket. “Please let it not be Saga.”</p>
<p>He pulled out his phone and the name Saga shone brightly on the screen. “Fuck my luck. Hello? Saga?”</p>
<p>“I woke up at Leo!” yelled Saga. Kanon had to pull away from the phone, his headache worsening. “Out of all people, you couldn’t leave me with someone whose brother I didn’t murder?!”</p>
<p>“Look man, that’s a long list of people. Why don’t you focus on murdering less people?” said Kanon</p>
<p>Saga hung up on him. Rhadamanthys scoffed out a laugh.</p>
<p>“He murdered the brother of the Leo Saint?” he asked, pulling a small pan and a few eggs.</p>
<p>“He murdered a lot of people. You think I’m bad? Saga was way, way worse,” said Kanon, scooting closer to Rhadamanthys, hoping for something to settle his stomach.  </p>
<p>“Hmph…Yeah, I figured.”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Nothing, just heard some things,” said Rhadamanthys as he started cooking the food.</p>
<p>Kanon huffed when he saw the four small egss. “That is too little. Why didn’t you buy more food?” he asked.</p>
<p>“You think I have any money? I was lucky Athena sent me back with clothes on my back. I just used the little you had in your pockets and robbed someone for the rest.”</p>
<p>Kanon pouted. “I stole that money from Saga. He’s the only one who gets money from the Sanctuary because I’m not <em>really </em>a saint. Bullshit rules. And if I ask Saga for money he’ll want to know what I want it for. Asshole, always being stingy. I can’t wait until Shion comes back.”</p>
<p>“You can tell him you need money for clothes,” said Rhadamanthys, pointing at Kanon’s burnt costume. One leg and one arm of the onesie were completely burnt off, and there were burnt holes all around.</p>
<p>“Ugh, this was the lesser of the bad options. Why did I let Aphrodite talk me into this?”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys shook his head. “We were beaten by clowns. By absolute clowns,” he grumbled.</p>
<p>“What, you guys never had wild parties under Hades?”</p>
<p>“Of course not! We drank, yeah, but not…like that…,” said Rhadamanthys, waving at Kanon’s costume.</p>
<p>“Sounds like you guys were hella boring,” said Kanon, stretching and standing up.</p>
<p>“We were disciplined.”</p>
<p>Kanon took off the dog ears and put them on Rhadamanthys’ head. “Live a little, since you get to have a second go at it,” he said and walked towards the entrance. “I’ll go get some fish, won’t take long.”</p>
<p>“Go die instead!”</p>
<p>“Don’t eat all the food or I won’t share!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Days passed like that. Months building upon the days, and Rhadamanthys started getting antsy. Always waiting for whatever Athena would have waiting for him around the corner. Kanon spent most days and some nights in the cave with him too. It wasn’t hard to guess that he was trying to avoid spending time with Saga, but Rhadamanthys didn’t care to ask. He figured out enough about the nature of their relationship through the things that Kanon complained about, but mainly through the nightmares that he would have. The way he would beg and cry in his sleep. Some nights, Rhadamanthys would kick him to wake him up, claiming that he had been stealing the covers.</p>
<p>He could not bear to hear some of what Kanon mumbled in his sleep.</p>
<p>But whenever Kanon could not avoid going back to Gemini, Rhadamanthys just spent time in silence. Waiting. Feeling the heaviness all over his body that he knew would not let him leave.</p>
<p>He had tried to walk away from the sanctuary, even into the sea in his despair. But every time, the fire burning under his skin from the seal of Athena would bring him back.</p>
<p>So now he just waited. A small pawn trapped in Athena’s side of the board. A cold doll with a body barely resembling a living human. As he sat in the cave tending to the fire, he thought that perhaps this might be just an extension of Athena’s fury.</p>
<p>Kanon arrived that night. Stumbling into the cave with a half empty bottle of wine in his hand and cackling like a maniac. Rhadamanthys rolled his eyes at him.</p>
<p>“What is it with you now? Another one of your crazy parties?” he asked, but there was something about Kanon’s energy. Something wild. He stood up to look at Kanon more carefully as he stumbled into the cave towards him.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys reached out to steady him, but Kanon grabbed his shoulders first with a desperate grip that surprised Rhadamanthys.</p>
<p>“Aioros is back!” yelled Kanon in Rhadamanthys’ face. “He’s back but he’s not the same. Out of all of us! Even Shion! Even fucking Shion wasn’t this bad when he came back! Everybody’s losing their minds! The trash three are holed up in Pisces hoping not to see him, and Saga! Saga’s losing his mind! He’s losing his fucking mind all over again!”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys tried to push him away. “Aioros? Who the hell is Aioros?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Sagittarius! Aioria’s brother! If they meet Saga’s gonna lose his mind! Again! All over again!”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys huffed, trying to step away from him and wondering how good it would do to point out that Kanon was also losing his mind now.</p>
<p>“You need to sit down now,” he finally said, pulling Kanon’s hands away from him and trying to pull him down to sit on the floor. But Kanon fell on him and Rhadamanthys lost his footing and they both crumbled to the ground in a heap of tangled limbs. The bottle of wine rolled away, spilling liquid at it moved.</p>
<p>“You’re the one who’s losing his mind,” muttered Rhadamanthys, pushing Kanon away.</p>
<p>Kanon laughed again, but Rhadamanthys felt something liquid fall on his face and when he looked up he saw that Kanon was also crying. Tears cascading down his cheeks.</p>
<p>“I know, right? It’s happening again,” he said.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys reached out to wipe the tears away with his thumb. Kanon looked so much younger like this. As if something primal had arisen from dep within him. Rhadamanthys pulled him closer against him.</p>
<p>“It’s not. Whatever happened. It’s not happening again. Now breathe, you’re just drunk,” he said, and combed his fingers through Kanon’s silken hair.</p>
<p>Kanon stayed tense against him for a few moments, then gradually relaxed against him and his agitated breathing returned to normal. Then Kanon pulled away so that he hovered over him.</p>
<p>“Rhada, let’s play,” he whispered, touching Rhadamanthys’s lips with the tip of his finger. “Let’s forget.”</p>
<p>Then he leaned down and kissed him. Rhadamanthys’ heart jumped in his chest and he froze. Kanon snickered above him and touched his chest. Rhadamanthys’ hold on Kanon’s waist tightened and Kanon gasped. The sound traveled straight to Rhadamanthys’ groin and he felt himself stirring despite his shock. Kanon started kissing down his neck, his fingers opening the buttons on Rhadamanthys’ shirt.</p>
<p>And then a high pitched sound made them jump. Rhadamanthys pulled his hands away from Kanon and Kanon sat up over him.</p>
<p>“Shit, it’s my phone,” he said, pulling it out of his pocket and looking at him. “It’s Saga”</p>
<p>“Fuck him,” growled Rhadamanthys.</p>
<p>Kanon covered Rhadamanthys’ lips his with finger and answered the call.</p>
<p>“Where the hell are you?” bellowed Saga.</p>
<p>Kanon rolled his eyes and shifted over Rhadamanthys so that he was sitting right over his crotch.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys shivered, feeling himself growing harder. He covered his own mouth to stop himself from making any noises, but Kanon pressed against his groin, making him arch against him.</p>
<p>“Busy,” panted Kanon over the phone, breathless while Rhadamanthys writhed underneath him.</p>
<p>Saga was silent for a moment. “You went out to a brothel? Seriously? Right Now?!”</p>
<p>“Fuck you Saga! Fuck you! Why do I have to care about your mental collapse over however many people you killed?”</p>
<p>“This is not about that! But come back when you feel like a responsible adult!” yelled Saga and hung up.</p>
<p>Kanon threw the phone to the farthest corner of the cave, then looked down at Rhadamanthys. “Now, you,” he said.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys growled, grabbed him by the arms and rolled them over so he was pinning down Kanon.</p>
<p>“So energetic. You want to be on top then?”</p>
<p>“Idiot. I should rape you just for this.”</p>
<p>Kanon laughed, yet tears fell from his eyes. “Wouldn’t be the first time,” he said, smirking.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys’ breath caught in his throat. At some level, he had suspected something like that. But seeing Kanon’s face, the contrast of emotions in his face. The contained rage, the hatred, the inkling of ancient pain glittering in his tears…</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys knocked him out, and his breath returned to his lungs when Kanon closed his eyes and sunk into unconsciousness.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The smell of coffee woke up Kanon, but his head rang with pain as soon as he tried to open his eyes. He groaned in pain.</p>
<p>“Ugh, what happened?” he mumbled, and managed to open an eye. Rhadamanthys glared down at him from his place making coffee at the fire.</p>
<p>“You came here drunk off your ass, yelling about Aioros,” he said.</p>
<p>“Ugh, Aioros,” whined Kanon, pushing himself up from the blankets. “Don’t tell anyone because they’ll skin me alive, but…it really wasn’t such a good idea to bring him back. No, it was a <em>terrible</em> idea to bring him back. At least so soon.”</p>
<p>“Why?” asked Rhadamanthys, handing him a cup of coffee. He then pulled the pan away from the fire and Kanon scooted closer when he smelled eggs and bacon.</p>
<p>“Cos no one was ready for him to be back. Not even himself,” he said and set down his mug. “And you know, if Saga and Aioros and basically half the saints wouldn’t murder me for it, I would totally ask him. Like, <em>Did you really want to come back? Did you really dude?</em> Cos I’m pretty sure he didn’t. It’s not like he’s all that excited about life, you know?”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys scoffed out a laugh. “Seriously?”</p>
<p>“Last I heard, it took him a few days to relearn how to walk, and like, he can’t eat basically anything. I just want to stay out of the whole mess. I don’t even want to know or even see the guy now.”</p>
<p>“Mhm.”</p>
<p>“But, you know, it’s kind of funny. How no one could find him in death. Hell, even when Odin brought us back he just appeared at the last moment. I would have expected Aioria or even Saga to run into him in the underworld, but they didn’t.”</p>
<p>“Mhm?”</p>
<p>“Did you ever see the guy? Has brown hair, kind of a goofy smile-”</p>
<p>“I don’t <em>know</em> every soul that gets into the underworld Kanon.”</p>
<p>“I know, I know. I just wanted to ask.”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys applied himself to eating breakfast with him, and pointedly refused to mention that while it was true that he didn’t deal with basically any of the souls that got into the underworld, it had been quite the sight to behold to see the Sagittarius saint crash down like a golden meteor. And then it had taken the three of them to drag him into the deepest circle of hell. He figured that comment wouldn’t go down very well with Kanon’s state of mind.</p>
<p>They finished having breakfast, and stayed in silence for a few moments.</p>
<p>“I should get back to Gemini,” said Kanon.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys rolled his eyes and grunted in annoyance.</p>
<p>“Why are you so grouchy today? You still pissed off I groped you? Sorry, Saga has a bad habit to call at the worst moment.”</p>
<p>“So you remember.”</p>
<p>“It’s hard to forget how hard you got under me. Or how you moaned.”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys kept quiet for a moment, staring into the flames and considering his words.</p>
<p>“I’ve never had sex with men,” he said.</p>
<p>“That can be remedied,” said Kanon, and moved to sit on Rhadamanthys’ lap. “I’m a very patient teacher.” He draped his arms around Rhadamanthys’ neck and lowered his head to kiss his lips. Softly at first. Rhadamanthys took a deep breath, his hands moving to grab at Kanon’s slim waist. They pulled closer. Kanon let out his tongue to lick at Rhadamanthys’ lips, making him open his mouth to deepen the kiss, his fingers entwining among Rhadamanthys’ short hair.</p>
<p>They separated, panting. “See? Isn’t it nice?” whispered Kanon, smirking down at Rhadamanthys, his hands opening the buttons on his shirt, teasing him with fleeting touches over his skin. “You <em>can </em>touch. You don’t have to stay there frozen.”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys bit at Kanon’s lip with a growl. “Even now you have to be annoying?”</p>
<p>“Isn’t that part of the fun?” said Kanon, letting his hand drift lower to feel how Rhadamanthys had grown just as hard as him. “Eager?”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys’ hands slipped under Kanon’s shirt, the cold touch of his fingers making him gasp.</p>
<p>“It’s been a long time,” muttered Rhadamanthys, kissing down Kanon’s neck. There was a soft scent like the sea to his skin that intrigued him.</p>
<p>“You tell yourself that,” said Kanon, opening Rhadamanthys’ pants and grasping him, making him push up against him, searching for more friction. “But I <em>am</em> quite eager. I haven’t had any since I came back.”</p>
<p>Kanon opened his own pants so that he could hold both of them. Rhadamanthys grunted, pressing harder against him, his hands traveling down into Kanon’s pants to grasp at his ass.</p>
<p>Kanon moaned against Rhadamanthys’ lips, shivering at the cold touch against his heated skin.</p>
<p>“You’re…cold,” he gasped, stroking them both faster.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t sound like you hate it,” panted Rhadamanthys.</p>
<p>“I love it,” moaned Kanon, grabbing handfuls of Rhadamanthys’ hair and licking his lips.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys stared at Kanon’s wet tongue, entranced by the sight and by the pleasure of Kanon’s hands on him. As he took hold of Kanon’s hand, stroking them even faster, Rhadamanthys told himself that the sensations, the exhilaration, the desire that threatened to overwhelm him at the sound of Kanon’s moans, it was all just because his body was too new. It had to me, he told himself as he bit at Kanon’s shoulder, making him whine in pleasure and making them both reach their climax.</p>
<p>Kanon fell against him, exhausted, while Rhadamanthys tried to get his breath back.</p>
<p>“So,” said Kanon. “How was the first lesson?”</p>
<p>“Hmph…not bad.”</p>
<p>Kanon laughed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kanon had not seen Shion when he came back, as only the Saints had been allowed in the hall when Athena let them see each other. It had been yet another annoyance from all the rules of the Sanctuary, but as long as Shion was back, he felt like things would get better. So it was a surprise when he ran into him and Dohko as he made his way down the houses.</p>
<p>“You are too lax on them!” complained Shion.</p>
<p>Dohko laughed. “But it was a victimless crime!” he said</p>
<p>“It was not! I was the victim! I was!”</p>
<p>Kanon halted in his step and moved to walk through the trees that lined the steps down, wondering if they were talking about Saga.</p>
<p>“Actually, wasn’t I the victim instead?” asked Dohko. “I was the one being attacked!”</p>
<p>Shion covered his face in embarrassment. “Dohko!”</p>
<p>“Just leave those three alone. It was a joke, nothing more,” said Dohko.</p>
<p>Kanon let out the breath he had been holding and relaxed, seeing that they were talking about Deathmask, Aphrodite and Shura instead. And he <em>had</em> heard something about them messing with some panda bear or something, but he didn’t really know the full story. He kept walking down hidden through the trees on his way to Gemini.</p>
<p>“Kanon, please hold on a moment,” said Shion.</p>
<p>Kanon froze.</p>
<p>“Oy, he’s there? You haven’t lost your good ear,” said Dohko. “Come here kid!”</p>
<p>Caught by both of them, Kanon slipped out of the trees towards the stone steps. “Uhm, hi,” he said, looking for a good excuse for spying on them. “I didn’t want to interrupt, I’m just in a hurry and-“</p>
<p>Shion waved away his explanation. “That’s enough boy, I know you were spying on us. It doesn’t matter,” he said, then turned towards Dohko. “Could you go get the package we have for them? Better give it to them now.”</p>
<p>“Right!” said Dohko. “I’d forgotten about that. I’ll be right back.”</p>
<p>Shion and Kanon watched him run off for a moment before resuming their walk down the stairs.</p>
<p>“It’s so good to see you again,” said Shion smiling at him and reaching out to pat him in the head just like he used to do when Kanon was a child.</p>
<p>“Oy, I’m not a kid anymore, old man,” said Kanon, but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.</p>
<p>“You’ll always be the little rascal I knew. Don’t think I haven’t heard all the stunts you pulled with Poseidon. Athena told me everything.”</p>
<p>“But Shion!” whined Kanon. “Saga started, he trapped me in Cape Sunion!”</p>
<p>Shion sighed. “Yes, she also told me that,” he said, shaking his head as they reached the entrance to the house of Libra. “And when he told me that you had ran away from the sanctuary, I believed him. I suppose I was fooled too, despite everything. I was blind to so many things, the thought of it all is…haunting.”</p>
<p>“Well, fooling people, that was our thing,” said Kanon, who really did not want to talk about all the things that Saga got away with.</p>
<p>Shion stopped walking and reached out to hold Kanon’s hand and look at it. When Kanon looked at his face it seemed like he carried a great sadness.</p>
<p>“I failed you. I’m sorry,” he said.</p>
<p>Kanon took away his hand. He didn’t want Shion’s apology. He didn’t want to relive this again.</p>
<p>“He killed you shortly afterwards, there’s nothing to be sorry,” he said.</p>
<p>Shion shook his head again. “I wish…I’d seen the expanse of the darkness within him. It was there, but…there is always darkness inside the hearts of humans. I thought his was no different. How foolish I was.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine now. What he did…it doesn’t matter anymore,” said Kanon, hoping to end the topic and let his memories of it all fade away.</p>
<p>Shion regarded him with his usual penetrating stare. As if his eyes could see into Kanon’s thoughts and past all his lies.</p>
<p>He reached out to pat Kanon’s shoulder. “If things get hard…Let me help, please,” he said</p>
<p>Dohko came out of the house of libra carrying a big package of what looked like cloth and a basket full of food containers.</p>
<p>“What is this?” asked Kanon, taking the package. “Blankets?”</p>
<p>“And some food for you guys. Made it myself,” said Dohko. “You guys should come for dinner one of these days.”</p>
<p>Kanon laughed at the gifts. “We’re fine, don’t worry. Even though we didn’t have a residence built, nothing has changed at Gemini. The servants are annoying, but they attend us well.”</p>
<p>“It’s not for you and Saga,” said Shion. “It’s for you and Rhadamanthys. Staying there in that cold cave, it’s so unnecessary. There are Sanctuary owned houses in Rodorrio that you could use, but Athena…Ah, I don’t know why she refuses.”</p>
<p>Kanon froze and blinked a couple times. “Rhadam…”</p>
<p>Dohko laughed. “You’re two hundred years too young to fool your elders kid,” he said. “But don’t worry. We’re the only ones who know. Athena’s designs for him are still a mystery, even to us. But, you’re smart enough, slip him in for dinner one of these days.”</p>
<p>“Dohko! Athena said, no meddling with them,” said Shion.</p>
<p>“Has Athena told anyone else? Is she planning to?” asked Kanon, feeling a burning pit of dread in his stomach at the thought that Saga would know about them.</p>
<p>Shion shook his head. “Just us. Even as weakened as it is, I noticed his dark cosmos, and I consulted Athena about it. She said to leave him and you alone and to not tell the others.”</p>
<p>The dread in Kanon’s stomach cooled. “I was going to tell about him, but…”</p>
<p>“It’s fine. Just make sure he doesn’t cause any trouble around,” said Shion. “Now go, weren’t you in a hurry?”</p>
<p>Kanon smirked and ran down the stairs past the house of Libra, intent on skipping every house and go straight to the beach and the cave.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you want to find out what Dohko and Shion were talking about, then go read my other fic, Constraint and Release. And if you can read spanish, then also go read Casi Todo Lo Que Quieras. You'll have some good laughs, I promise!</p>
<p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kanon went back to Gemini that night, making his way through a hidden entrance to avoid having to report to the guards. As he crossed into the main terrains of the Sanctuary, he noticed Aioria’s cosmos nearby, among the trees.</p><p>“What are <em>you</em> doing here?” asked Kanon, walking up to him.</p><p>Aioria startled, but didn’t move from the rock where he sat on, only crouched even more into himself and shook his head.</p><p>“I just...needed some time alone,” he said with a choked voice that showed he had been crying, even if Kanon couldn’t see his face clearly in the darkness.</p><p>“Did something happen with Aioros?” asked Kanon, knowing that Aioros was the only reason Aioria would be in such a state.</p><p>“It’s nothing, it’s just…I was so stupid,” said Aioria, wiping at his eyes. “I thought he would be back like the rest of us. That he would be back to who he was but…he’s been gone too long. Too long. He can’t be the same.”</p><p>“Shion was dead for just as long,” said Kanon, feeling like there was something off about the whole thing. He had kept his distance, but the more he heard about him, the more suspicious he became.</p><p>“Shion didn’t die at fourteen and come back at thirty two,” growled Aioria. “Aioros has been dead for longer than he was alive…Gods, why did I ever think-?”</p><p>Kanon punched him softly in the arm. “Hey, anyone else would have done the same thing. Hell, if it had been Saga, I would have still brought him back just the same. Asshole as he is. And Athena wouldn’t have brought him back if she thought it was wrong to do so. Keep some faith, ok?” said Kanon, waving at him as he left.</p><p>“Wait, Kanon…Uhm, Aioros and Saga… They finally met today. Aioros didn’t really recognize him much, but…I think Saga might be upset now.”</p><p>“Ugh, he’s going to be insufferable,” said Kanon, scoffing out a laugh. “Thanks for letting me know.”</p><p>He left, running back to Gemini with a growing feeling of dread. Ever since they had been back, Saga and him had pointedly avoided talking about anything of any actual importance. Like when he locked up Kanon on Cape Sunion, or when he killed Shion and Aioros. Kanon had had no issue with killing Athena – at that point a distant and basically meaningless name for him- but he had killed Shion. He had killed Aioros. All of it right after locking up Kanon. And he had locked up Kanon right after…right after…</p><p>Kanon arrived at the doors of Gemini, and saw a couple servants walking out of the house. He nodded at them and entered, going straight for the bedroom where he could feel Saga’s cosmos. On the way there, he passed another group of servants on the main hall who swept away bits of broken glass from the shattered mirror around. Then he passed by the dining hall, where another group cleaned up broken glasses and spilled cups. They avoided looking at him as he passed, but he could feel their eyes on his back as he made his way into the bedroom.</p><p>He entered and closed the door behind him, looking at Saga’s form lying on the bed. A few nasty comments floated around Kanon’s head, but he couldn’t bring himself to say any of them.</p><p>“Are you ok?” asked Kanon, and the question sounded strange even to his own ears.</p><p>Saga shifted under the covers. “…Yes,” he said in a whisper.</p><p>Kanon said nothing more, and went to his own bed to sleep. After a while of lying down in silence, he could feel Saga’s mind becoming calmer, drifting to sleep.</p><p>He stared at the ceiling, thinking that maybe he would go see Aioros. Maybe he would even disguise himself as Saga. They could still easily pass as each other, and it would be interesting to figure out exactly what he remembered or what was the matter with him that had everyone in a fit. He turned around in the bed as he felt Saga’s mind get agitated from nightmares.</p><p>“Stupid fucking idiot brother,” he muttered, glaring at the wall. Outside, the wind picked up.</p><p>“Why did we have to do it? Why not chase after him, fight him ourselves? Why accuse him so?” whispered Saga.</p><p>“Well, fuck, riddle me that one. You stabbed Shion, why didn’t you just chase after Aioros yourself?” said Kanon with an annoyed huff.</p><p>Saga sat up I bed. “And Shura…Shura knew…”</p><p>“Wasn’t that why you used the ghost demon whatever punch on him?” asked Kanon, finally sitting up.</p><p>Saga stood up, a darker shadow against the darkness of the room. He stumbled towards the door but just a few steps before the door he turned to the left and smashed his fist against the mirror hanging from the wall. Kanon jumped out of bed and ran to hold him down.</p><p>“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?! The servants will come to check on us!” hissed Kanon, holding up Saga’s arms. He noticed that even though Saga was struggling against him, he didn’t use much, if any, force. “Seriously, what is wrong with you now?”</p><p>“I could have stopped,” mumbled Saga. “I could have stopped and I didn’t.”</p><p>Kanon tried to pull him away from the broken mirror shards, when the moonlight from the higher windows fell of Saga’s face and he noticed that Saga’s eyes were closed. He was sleep talking. And sleepwalking. And sleepbreakingmirrors.</p><p>A cold shiver of dread ran down Kanon’s spine.</p><p>Saga wasn’t even conscious.</p><p>Saga had no idea.</p><p>Kanon pushed him away and Saga stumbled, falling over the broken glass on the floor.</p><p>Then he ran.</p><p>Out of Gemini, out of the Sanctuary, and out far through the beach until he reached the cave where Rhadamanthys laid under the blankets that Shion and Dohko had gifted them, reading a book by the light of the nearby fire.</p><p>Kanon stumbled inside and fell to his knees next to the fire, saying nothing.</p><p>Rhadamanthys let down the book and sat up. “Something happened?” he asked.</p><p>“No,” lied Kanon. “I’m just staying here. I’m staying here now.”</p><p>A moment passed between them, without either saying nothing. Kanon’s eyes fixed on the fire, Rhadamanthys unmoving.</p><p>Then Rhadamanthys scooted over and lifted the blankets. “Then take off your shoes and get in here. It’s getting cold,” he said and picked up his book again.</p><p>Kanon snapped out of the silence that filled his mind and looked over to Rhadamanthys, but the other had already restarted his reading.</p><p>Kanon did as he was told, taking off his shoes and slipping under the blankets.</p><p>“So, you’re not going to ask me anything?” asked Kanon.</p><p>“Kanon you look like a wild animal in a cage. Go to sleep and tell me anything in the morning,” said Rhadamanthys, not taking his eyes off from the book. “And besides, you don’t seem hurt.” He sneaked a look down at Kanon when the saint turned to lie on his side.</p><p>“I’m not,” said Kanon.</p><p>“Then just go to sleep and if you want to talk once you’ve calmed down, I’ll listen.”</p><p>“…Saga’s just being insufferable.”</p><p>“Mhm. I guessed so. Go to sleep.”</p><p>But Kanon said nothing the next morning.</p><p>Or the morning after.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rhadamanthys asked about the whole thing after a couple nights, which caught Kanon by surprise.</p><p>“So, you two had a fight?” asked Rhadamanthys, turning a page in the book he always read before going to sleep.</p><p>“Uh? A fight?”</p><p>“You and Saga. The other day.”</p><p>Kanon stretched under the blankets. “No. No, it was nothing. I just got pissed at him cos he was sleepwalking and wouldn’t let me sleep. He gets like that sometimes,” he said, burrowing under the covers, pulling them up to his chin. “I can’t stand it when he loses control.  Which sucks because he was possessed by some evil entity for most of his life, but meh. It happens.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys raised his eyebrows at that and looked down at Kanon. “Posessed?”</p><p>“Yeah. I used to think he was a hypocrite. Then I thought he was crazy. But it turns out he was possessed. Just some evil entity living inside him, going ballistic from time to time. Weird, huh?”</p><p>Rhadamanthys shook his head and went back to his book. He decided he didn’t have the mental strength to deal with that at the moment.</p><p>“You’re always reading a different book. Where are you getting them?” asked Kanon.</p><p>Rhadamanthys shrugged. “Whoever passes by with anything interesting in their hands,” he said.</p><p>Kanon laughed, and kept staring up at him.</p><p>“What’s the matter? Do I have something on my face?”</p><p>“Hmmm, no. I just like how you look while reading. All intellectual and serious. Really hot,” he said, and pushed himself up, leaning towards him. Rhadamanthys didn’t pull away and Kanon kissed his lips, then pulled away with a smirk. “You want another lesson now?”</p><p>Rhadamanthys rolled his eyes at that, but set down his book. Kanon laughed and pulled him closer to kiss his lips again, pressing inside his mouth Rhadamanthys growled and grabbed at his hips, pressing against him. Kanon carded his hands through the other’s hair, opening his legs to let him in closer, feeling Rhadamanthys growing hard against him.</p><p>“Fuck, you’re big,” said Kanon, and gasped when Rhadamanthys’ hands moved to grasp at his ass.</p><p>Rhadamanthys smirked, kneading the flesh in his hands, rubbing his groin against Kanon’s to make him moan. He loved to hear the sounds he made as his hands trailed up over his skin, pulling away his shirt. Kanon did the same to him, pulling off Rhadamanthys’ shirt and pants, and starting to kiss a line down his chest.</p><p>“What are you doing?” grunted Rhadamanthys</p><p>Kanon pressed a kiss to his navel. “What? You’ve never gotten a blow job?” he said with a mischievous wink.</p><p>Rhadamanthys felt his face turning red. Kanon laughed.</p><p>“Seriously? You haven’t? I can’t believe it! What kind of sex have you been having?” he asked, pushing Rhadamanthys’ thighs away to settle between them.</p><p>“Shut up!”</p><p>Kanon stuck out his tongue at him. “Fine! I’ll use my mouth for something more interesting,” he said, and lowered himself to lick a stripe up Rhadamanthys’ cock. Rhadamanthys shivered, reaching out to hold his hair.</p><p>“Don’t pull too hard,” said Kanon, and opened his mouth, swallowing the head of his cock. Rhadamanthys gasped, his hips bucking as he felt the wet heat of Kanon’s mouth surrounding him. Kanon giggled and took him in deeper, grasping at Rhadamanthys’ hips.</p><p>It took all of Rhadamanthys’ self discipline (and he had a lot) to not grab at Kanon’s hair and thrust into his mouth. He moaned and then tried to cover his mouth, but Kanon took him in deeper, all the way to the hilt, and he arched at the feeling of Kanon swallowing him whole. He grasped at the covers and at Kanon’s hair, panting and moaning until his orgasm washed over him like a tide and he spent himself, collapsing on the bed and trying to regain his breath.</p><p>Kanon pushed himself up. “No music, no partying, no good sex. Aren’t you happy you’ve switched sides now?” he said, wiping a trail of cum from the edge of his lips.</p><p>Rhadamanthys groaned. “I didn’t switch sides. I was captured by the enemy side,” he grunted, pushing himself up. He had to admit that that had been one of the best feelings. But he didn’t have to admit it out loud, and especially not when Kanon had such a proud sneering grin on his face.</p><p>“So you’re my prisoner?” purred Kanon, laying down over Rhadamanthys, who could feel his hardness against his thigh.</p><p>“Don’t get too cocky,” said Rhadamanthys, wrapping his arm around Kanon’s waist, his other hand trailing down to his hip, but he hesitated before grabbing at Kanon’s erection, suddenly unsure.</p><p>Kanon nipped at his lips. “Fine, fine. But this was a lesson. Now, why don’t you try it yourself? Show me what you can do now,” he said, pushing away from him to lay down next to him and spread open his legs.</p><p>Radamanthys swallowed as he looked at Kanon’s body, the contours of his skin glowing against the light of the flames. He had just come but looking at Kanon like that, his cock gave a twitch of interest. He moved to settle between his legs, and wondered how it might have been if Kanon had been a woman. Rhadamanthys wouldn’t hesitate to touch him then. He wouldn’t contain his kisses so much. He might even…manage to fall in love with him then.</p><p>Steeling himself, Rhadamanthys lowered himself towards Kanon’s cock, hesitantly opening his mouth to swallow the head. Kanon flinched.</p><p>“Teeth, be careful of that,” he said in a gasp.</p><p>Rhadamanthys growled, and tried taking him in deeper, but even though Kanon wasn’t as big as him, he wasn’t small by any means. He tried to suck him in the way he remembered Kanon doing, but it only made Kanon  flinch again.</p><p>“Ah, don’t-“ gasped Kanon.</p><p>Rhadamanthys sat back up, wiping his mouth, angry that he seemed to be doing everything wrong. “This wouldn’t be so hard if you were a woman!” he said.</p><p>Kanon pushed him away. “Well, why don’t you go look for a woman then?” he yelled.</p><p>“That’s not what I mea-“</p><p>“Fuck you,” yelled Kanon, putting his clothes back on. “If you really didn’t want to do it then you could have just said it.”</p><p>“It’s not that.”</p><p>“Shut the fuck up. Gods, I should go back to Gemini,” muttered Kanon, lying back down on the bed.</p><p>Rhadamanthys pushed his hair back away from his face. He didn’t understand how to fix what had happened, but he felt like if he said anything else, Kanon would run away. He sighed, and threw his shirt back on.</p><p>They went back to bed, facing away from each other.</p><p>Rhadamanthys had lived many times. He sometimes caught a glimpse at some of his past lives, whenever his star of misfortune was strongly positioned in the sky. And from what he had glimpsed, he had never in all of those lives been married.</p><p>But he felt like he had just had a fight with his wife.</p><p>Behind him, he could feel Kanon still tense, the energy of his cosmos still a tightly contained storm. Inside his chest, he felt the same storm simmering.</p><p>He sat up and grabbed at Kanon’s shoulder, pulling him towards him. “I’m sorry,” he said.</p><p>“Tch, go to hell,” growled Kanon, pulling away from him.</p><p>“I was wrong,” said Rhadamanthys, reaching for him again. “What I said…I had never been with a man before, that’s all. I don’t…I don’t wish you were different.”</p><p>Kanon relaxed and stopped pulling away from him. Rhadamanthys kept holding on to him, until Kanon shifted, turning around to face him.</p><p>“You’re a fucking brute sometimes,” he said.</p><p>Rhadamanthys laid back down among the blankets, turning towards him completely so that they faced each other. Kanon scooted closer to him, burying his face against Rhadamanthys’ shoulder. Rhadamanthys pressed even closer against him, throwing his arm around him.</p><p>“I guess I can be,” he said.</p><p>Kanon laughed against him and they went to sleep smiling, their legs entwined with each other.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As much as he tried to avoid Saga, Kanon still had to come and go around the Sanctuary. Mainly doing small tasks that Athena entrusted him and wanted to keep secret, such as her direct correspondence with Shion (who had yet to learn how to properly use a cellphone).</p><p>“Please deliver this to Shion,” said Athena, handing a thin scroll to Kanon. “And ask him about his decision on the changes to your role in Gemini.”</p><p>“Changes to Gemini?” asked Kanon.</p><p>“I thought we might make some changes to the rules to include you more, but… He’ll have the final say. Have a chat with him.”</p><p>Kanon nodded, shocked by the suddenness of the mention. Once Athena had left the hall, he stood up and left down the stairs. Towards Libra, lost in his thought of what the changes might be. After all, Gemini had never had two people holding any kind of roles, so for Athena to say that she wanted to “include him more” was already a major change in itself.</p><p>Passing by Scorpio, he jolted when he heard Milo roaring from inside the house. Kanon stopped and loked up the side of the building, where he could see a light shining in the window of the top floor.</p><p>“I’ve had it! I’ve had it with you now!” yelled Milo, and something came flying out of the window.</p><p>Kanon raised an eyebrow at that, and jumped up to catch the small black object. When he landed back on the ground he looked at what he had caught. It was Milo’s phone, and it had three missed calls from Camus.</p><p>“Pfff, that was <em>some </em>fight, uh?” he whispered to himself and pocketed the phone, then kept jogging back down until he reached Libra and knocked on the door to the inner residence.</p><p>Shion opened the door and Kanon immediately presented the scroll to him with a smirk. “Athena said there would be changes in Gemini,” he said. A delicious smell reached Kanon’s nose, and he tried to look past Shion to see if the table was already set so he could invite himself to dinner with them.</p><p>Shion rolled his eyes and took the scroll. “There will not,” he said, and opened the scroll. He took a single glance at it and shook his head, then rolled it again.</p><p>“What? Why? Athena said she wanted to include me more,” said Kanon, feeling as if he had been robbed of something.</p><p>“Athena didn’t want to include you so much as to make you officially the Gemini Saint,” said Shion, furrowing his brow.</p><p>“What? She…she wanted to name me…So I would be…”</p><p>“You would share the Gemini cloth with Saga, and she only knows how <em>that</em> would work, but other than that you would be a golden saint in your own right.”</p><p>“Then…you…don’t think I should be a gold saint?”</p><p>Shion sighed. “It’s not that I don’t think you shouldn’t or couldn’t be a gold saint. You have already donned the Gemini cloth in battle, that matter is settled. It is that I don’t think you would enjoy what it entails. Sometimes we are cursed to have that which we desire the most, Kanon. And I completely believe that formally acknowledging you as the Gemini saint would bring you more pain than joy in the end.”</p><p>“It wouldn’t! It’s what I’ve always wanted!” cried Kanon.</p><p>“Really? You’ve always wanted to dwell in and guard the Gemini house? Is that why you haven’t been back in days?” asked Shion. “Kanon, if you are formally made the Gemini saint, you would be tried for treason just for what you did today. Let’s not even talk about what you’ve done since you came back. If you become the Gemini saint there will be no more leaving the sanctuary at your pleasure. There will be no more escape from the Gemini house.”</p><p>Kanon lowered his eyes, his hands balling into fists.</p><p>Shion patted his head. “I know you think you’ve always wanted to be the Gemini saint. Always wanted the power and the recognition but…Kanon you already have the power. And Athena is willing to change the laws of the ages to recognize you. But if you were to accept it, you would lose the one thing you have always needed: your freedom,” he said. “I cannot allow you to drink from a poisoned cup like this.”</p><p>Kanon shook his head, unwilling to believe it. “I could do it. I could. I-“</p><p>Shion sighed again. “Poison. That is all this offer is. But go back to the cave, think it over for a few days. If you really consider it carefully I could maybe…reconsider my decision.”</p><p>Kanon felt hope in his heart again. “Really?”</p><p>“Kanon, you have to-“</p><p>“I’ll do it! I’ll think it carefully!”</p><p>Dohko peeked out the door. “Are you still chastising that poor boy?” he asked.</p><p>“I’m not!” cried Shion.</p><p>Dohko came out with a bag full of packed food that he gave to Kanon. “Run, kid! I’ll hold him back!”</p><p>Kanon snatched the bag and ran away.</p><p>“Kanon I’m serious!” yelled Shion after him. “Consider the implications!”</p><p>Kanon cackled as he ran out of the house of Libra towards the beach.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you're wondering what the hell happened with Milo yelling in his house, go read my other fic Fear and Love, which narrates the whole story. It's Miloxcamus. </p><p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When he went back to the cave, Kanon noticed that Rhadamanthys had a new book. Something about war history. Kanon had noticed that he seemed to prefer books about wars. He thought that such an interest fitted him quite well.</p>
<p>“Something good happened?” asked Rhadamanthys, not bothering to lift his eyes from the book.</p>
<p>“Yesss,” hissed Kanon. “How did you guess?”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys closed his book and set it down on the floor. “Your cosmos. It’s all alight and excited.”</p>
<p>Kanon went to sit next to him while Rhadamanthys pushed more logs into the fire that had dimmed down. Kanon started pulling out containers of food from the bag.</p>
<p>“Well, there’s something to be really excited for, yeah. Athena wants me to be the Gemini saint along with Saga,” said Kanon.</p>
<p>“Along with Saga? So you two are gonna be saints part time? Or wear half of the cloth full time or what?” asked Rhadamanthys with a scoff.</p>
<p>Kanon hit him lightly on the shoulder, but he was too excited to get annoyed at him.</p>
<p>“Who cares? I’ll finally be a gold saint! Do we still have that whiskey? Let’s celebrate. Oh, I got you something,” he said, digging in is pockets for the phone he had caught.</p>
<p>“So you’re not a gold saint? Could have fooled me the last time we fought and you killed the both of us,” said Rhadamanthys.</p>
<p>“I got to wear the cloth because Saga was dead. But he’s alive now so he gets to keep the cloth. Until now, of course. Now I just have to convince Shion to agree with Athena.”</p>
<p>“Shion doesn’t agree? You’re always raving about him, I thought he liked you.”</p>
<p>Kanon rolled his eyes. “He does. He’s just being dumb. <em>It’s a poisoned cup, Kanon</em>,” he said, mocking Shion’s voice. “He doesn’t know anything. He was dead for like twenty years.”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys made a vague noise of acknowledgement. A strange discomfort had started creeping on him about what Kanon had said, but he couldn’t explain why. Not even to himself. But something about that phrase “<em>A poisoned cup” </em>resonated with what he felt.</p>
<p>“I’ll convince him in no time. He probably just thinks I’m not responsible enough,” said Kanon</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys didn’t answer and kept eating while Kanon rambled.</p>
<p>“And when I’m the Gemini saint, I’ll get to decide what happens to the Gemini house. I’m taking down those stupid stone beds in the bedroom and building a residence like the others did, and…what’s wrong with you? You’re not even listening.”</p>
<p>“Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be the Gemini saint either.”</p>
<p>“That’s because I kicked your ass the last time I was,” said Kanon, and stuck out his tongue at him.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys rolled his eyes at that. “Kanon you killed us both”</p>
<p>“I can still kick your ass now,” said Kanon, scooting closer to him and kissing him on the lips. “When I convince Shion, we’ll celebrate.”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys gritted his teeth. “Celebrate what? You ran away from Gemini” he growled.</p>
<p>“I ran away from Saga!” said Kanon, and seemed to realize too late what he had said. “I mean, because Saga is insufferable. But if we’re separated-“</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys grabbed a spoonful of rice and shoved it into Kanon’s mouth. “Eat and shut up. I don’t want to hear about it.”</p>
<p>Kanon swallowed down the mouthful. “Jerk. And here I brought you a gift,” he said and handed him the phone. It started vibrating and playing Boogie Wonderland.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys raised his eyebrows at that and refused to grab it. “I don’t want it,” he said.</p>
<p>Kanon rejected the call. “It was Milo’s phone, but he’s having a fight with Camus and threw his phone out the window.”</p>
<p>“Aren’t those the ones you said were basically married.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, ever since they were kids. But they’re stupid, so they only started being a couple during the last Halloween party”</p>
<p>“Now I remember why I never married.”</p>
<p>Kanon handed him the phone again. “There. I blocked Camus’ number and turned off the ringtone.”</p>
<p>“Why should I have a phone?” he asked, taking it from Kanon and staring at it.</p>
<p>“It’s nice for quick communication. And you can take pictures and watch videos. Next Halloween party, I can send you photos in real life of Saga and Aioria singing karaoke.”</p>
<p>“Hmmm, well, doesn’t sounds too bad.”</p>
<p>“And you can listen to music. What kind of music do you like?”</p>
<p>“None. I don’t care much for music.”</p>
<p>“You can’t be serious. Or did Hades ban music too?”</p>
<p>“He did. Music was only for the gods. That was why Pandora and the rest were caught off guard by Orpheus. Down there, it was either Pandora playing, or Orpheus playing, or nothing. I’ve never cared much for music myself. I was never into it other than waltz.”</p>
<p>“Waltz? Seriously?”</p>
<p>“My parents were very much into waltz, so that’s one of the memories I have from before the Surplice consumed me.”</p>
<p>“So, waltz is that music that is danced to? Like, at balls with the big dresses and all?”</p>
<p>“Yes”</p>
<p>“So you know how to dance it?” asked Kanon, smirking.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys raised an eyebrow at him, then extended his hand at him. “It’s easy,” he said.</p>
<p>Kanon blinked, and grabbed his hand.</p>
<p>A few minutes later, they had found some waltz whose name Kanon couldn’t remember, and Rhadamanthys had his arm around Kanon’s waist, with Kanon’s hand in his shoulder. Rhadamanthys had explained everything about the moves in detail. Twice. Kanon still had no idea what he was supposed to do.</p>
<p>“If you step on me, I’m throwing you into the sea,” said Kanon.</p>
<p>“You’re the one who’s learning. If someone’s making a mistake here, it’s you.”</p>
<p>“And why do I have to be the woman now?”</p>
<p>“Because I’m guiding.”</p>
<p>“So when we have sex then you’ll be the woman?”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys grabbed Kanon’s ass hard. “Stop. Before I remember that we’re enemies.”</p>
<p>Kanon wheezed and tried not to laugh, but failed. They restarted the dance from the beginning, with Kanon following the lead of Rhadamanthys, getting through the first few steps fine. But as they made their way into a circle and Rhadamanthys pulled him into a turn, he stepped on him, tripped over their feet, and almost fell down, taking Rhadamanthys down with him if not for Rhadamanthys regaining his balance and holding him from falling.</p>
<p>“You always end up taking both of us down,” he said, looking down at Kanon. “How can you be so bad at this?”</p>
<p>“Hey, it’s my first time trying!”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys smirked, and there was something wild to his smirk that sent Kanon’s heart racing.</p>
<p>“Now I found something that <em>you </em>are bad at,” said Rhadamanthys. “Guess we’re equal now.”</p>
<p>Kanon grabbed at his hair and pulled. “Jackass,” he said, pulling him down for a kiss. Rhadamanthys followed, pressing for a deeper kiss. He let Kanon down slowly on the ground, his hands moving down his body, slipping under his tunic to feel his skin.</p>
<p>Kanon separated, panting for breath. “This time, we really have to do it,” he said and licked his lips. “I can’t wait anymore.”</p>
<p>Less than a minute later they laid on the covers, ripping clothes away from each other.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys pulled off Kanon’s hands, tracing the contours of his legs. “What is that?” he asked, looking at the small bottle in Kanon’s hand.</p>
<p>“It’ll make things easier, I just…need a moment to prepare. Fuck, I wasn’t ready but-“</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys kissed him again while Kanon slipped a lubed finger down into his entrance. Kanon moaned, tangling his free hand among Rhadamanthys’ blonde locks. Pleased with the sound, Rhadamanthys grabbed a hold of Kanon’s thighs, spreading his legs and massaging them, entranced by the feeling of Kanon’s skin.</p>
<p>“Fuck, Rhada, if you want to get inside me then don’t distract me,” said Kanon and slipped a second finger into his entrance.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys gave a breathy laugh and bit at the skin of Kanon’s thigh. “Weren’t you a pro at this?” he teased.</p>
<p>“Cheeky brat,” gasped Kanon, whining from how hard he was already. He threw the bottle of lube at Rhadamanthys’ head. “Prepare yourself. I’m, ah, almost ready.”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys caught the bottle and squeezed out the rest of the lube from the bottle, coating his dick and staring at Kanon, seeing him opening himself. He knew that this was something that could be done, but he had never tried it with any woman. In fact, he hated to accept it, but compared to this, the sex he’d had previously, really had been pretty bad. Just something to take care of the urge. Nothing like this overwhelming need and desire. Something that made him so hard it was painful.</p>
<p>There was just something about Kanon that lit a fire in Rhadamanthys’ chest. He thought that it was just because Kanon was gorgeous in his own right, but telling himself that… it felt like telling himself yet another lie.</p>
<p>Kanon took out his fingers and spread his legs. “Now, you can take it from here, right?” he said with a teasing smirk.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys growled at him and settled between his thighs. “You try even harder to be annoying when we’re like this,” he said and positioned himself, pushing into Kanon slowly.</p>
<p>“You just- ah, you just think that because Hades banned fun,” said Kanon, and then flinched when Rhadamanthys pushed further inside.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys froze in place. “What? Did I-?”</p>
<p>“No, not, it’s just…this body’s, ah, very new. Go slowly,” said Kanon, reaching out to grab Rhadamanthys’ shoulders.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys huffed. Going slow was becoming a test of his already considerable self discipline. Kanon’s body pressed around him in the most delicious way and all he wanted was to bury himself to the hilt into him. He comforted himself with biting at Kanon’s shoulder and he pushed inside.</p>
<p>Kanon moaned and entwined his fingers through Rhadamanthys’ hair. Then he laughed as if he had heard something funny.</p>
<p>“Kanon, I swear,” warned Rhadamanthys, who felt his self control slipping.</p>
<p>“Sorry, I just thought that…isn’t it funny? Our bodies are new. This body is new so this is our first time, uh?”</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys rolled his eyes at that and was about to tell him to stop saying stupid things, when the image of Kanon’s face that night they’d first kissed flashed through his mind. Instead, he kissed Kanon’s lips softly.</p>
<p>“Yes, I suppose it is,” he said in a whisper against his lips, and finally pushed completely inside.</p>
<p>Kanon laughed. “So I’m taking your virginity then?” he said.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys grabbed his chin. “You little…,” he gritted through his teeth. But just looking at the mischievous glee shining in Kanon’s eyes dissolved his anger. He kissed him again, biting at his lips. “I’m at my limit Kanon,” he growled.</p>
<p>Kanon sighed, wrapping his arms around Rhadamanthys’ neck. “Ah, you…how are you so hot like this? Move, come on, I’m at my limit too. Like this…I won’t last long,” he said.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys started thrusting into him, moaning despite how embarrassed he felt by his own sounds.</p>
<p>“Faster, Rhada…faster,” said Kanon, arching against him, pulling him closer.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys thrusted faster, harder, his self control finally crumbling as he was overwhelmed by the pleasure of Kanon’s body.</p>
<p>Kanon cried out, tensing as his orgasm washed over him and he tightened around Rhadamanthys, taking him over the edge too.</p>
<p>Radamanthys had only enough energy to push himself to the side and not fall against Kanon.</p>
<p>“I think you’ve graduated. What a good student you are,” laughed Kanon, even as he still struggled to regain his breath.</p>
<p>Rhadamanthys groaned at that, but couldn’t find it in himself to be angry at him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing and posting go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
<p>Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few days later, Kanon appeared at the cave bringing a case of whiskey bottles. Rhadamanthys narrowed his eyes at him.</p><p>“What are we celebrating?” he asked, worrying that Kanon had finally convinced Shion to let him be the Gemini saint.</p><p>“We? Nothing. I have to bring these to the Halloween party tonight, but no one has to notice if we keep a bottle,” he said, pulling a bottle from the crate and giving it to Rhadamanthys. It was the same cheap trash brand from the last time.</p><p>“Hmmm. What are you going as?” asked Rhadamanthys.</p><p>Kanon rolled his eyes. “A ghost,” he said. “Aphrodite saved the costumes he had for us from last year so Saga and I are going to wear those. They’re stupid.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys scoffed out a humorless laugh. “Last year,” he said, and set aside the whiskey bottle.</p><p>“Crazy that it’s already been over a year since we’re back,” said Kanon, sitting next to him and grabbing a cookie from the package that Dohko had sent them the day before. He sent them food regularly. Blankets and clothes often. It had all turned into a very homely routine.</p><p>“Crazy… I suppose it is…,” said Rhadamanthys, looking out to the reddish sky in the horizon. At first he had thought he would go mad awaiting the next move of the goddess, but as one day blended into the other… In the cave, walking through the town, or watching the waves with Kanon…Time had faded, passing him by with him barely noticing it. He wondered if this, too, was yet another move by the goddess.</p><p>Kanon pressed a cookie against his lips, forcing him to eat it.</p><p>“You’ve been so taciturn these days,” he said, tapping Rhadamanthys’ lips with the tip of his finger and scooting closer to him. “What is it?”</p><p>Rhadamanthys gave a low growl, but swallowed the cookie anyway. “Taciturn?” he asked, and leaned forward to lick at Kanon’s finger, then he surrounded his waist with his arm and pulled him closer.</p><p>Kanon leaned against him, draping his arms over Rhadamanthys’ shoulders. “Kinda sad. Off somehow…”</p><p>Rhadamanthys thought back. He didn’t feel much different these days. Not that he could think of. Perhaps it was that his thoughts had gone back to wondering about what the intentions of the goddess had been for bringing him back. There was something strange in the air too, he had felt it. Something even more oppressive than before. A strange heaviness that he couldn’t describe nor pinpoint.</p><p>“There it is again,” said Kanon, and Rhadamanthys realized he had fallen quiet for too long. “What is it? What are you worried about?”</p><p>“Hmph, I suppose…,” started Rhadamanthys, thinking on whether to tell Kanon about what he felt. But he decided against it. “I’m thinking that I’ll be bored here now, when you’re all having a party,” he said, leaning backwards, letting himself lay down on the ground while Kanon laid over him.</p><p>Kanon laughed. “Oh, trust me, you don’t want to be in this party. Everyone’s going to be there. It’s going to be a mess,” he said.</p><p>“Is it gonna crash and burn like the last one?” he asked, his hands trailing up and down Kanon’s sides.</p><p>“Most likely it will. I’ll send you photos,” said Kanon, and leaned down to kiss him on the lips.</p><p>Rhadamanthys let one of his hands linger on Kanon’s hip, while the other combed through Kanon’s soft long hair. Kanon’s hands went from Rhadamanthys’ shoulders down to feel his chest and Rhadamanthys licked at Kanon’s lips, making him open his mouth to deepen the kiss. Kanon moaned when he felt Rhadamanthys’ tongue in his mouth, and whimpered when he felt him grab his ass, pulling his legs apart so that they fitted together even more against each other. Kanon rubbed against him and Rhadamanthys bucked up, seeking friction.</p><p>A high pitched electronic sound filled the cave and Rhadamanthys groaned. “Don’t answer,” he growled.</p><p>Kanon pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I wasn’t supposed to take long,” he said, looking down at the screen that said Saga in bright letters. “He’s gonna be pissed if we’re late.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys grabbed the phone and threw it out into a pile of clothes in the corner.</p><p>“Who cares? Who even cares?” he said, and rolled them over so that he was pinning Kanon down on the floor. “Do you really want to go more than you want to stay?” he asked, grabbing Kanon’s ass, rubbing their groins together and feeling how hard their had grown.</p><p>Kanon moaned, arching into him. “That’s…that’s an unfair question,” whined Kanon, and moaned again when Rhadamanthys bit at the column of his neck, his hands pulling at his tunic until he pulled it over Kanon’s head.</p><p>Kanon panted, grabbing at Rhadamanthys’ shirt and also pulling it off of him. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this much sex in my life since you figured out where to put it.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys threw off his shirt and started pulling off his pants. Kanon, ahead of him, had already taken off his pants and dug around his pockets for the bottle of lube he always carried. He coated two of his fingers and went to his knees, reaching behind him to spread himself open. Rhadamanthys grabbed the bottle of lube and pulled Kanon’s fingers away.</p><p>“I’ll do it,” he said, coating his own fingers.</p><p>Kanon whined. “You always take so long!” he complained, then gasped when he felt Rhadamanthys’ long fingers enter him. “Hurry up!”</p><p>“You were the one who told me to make sure I did it right,” teased Rhadamanthys, looking for that spot that made Kanon cry out so deliciously.</p><p>“The first times. We’ve been doing it every night and- AH!“ cried Kanon.</p><p>Rhadamanthys smirked as he introduced a third finger. “Were you saying something?” he asked, pressing against the spot again and again, making Kanon tense, spreading his legs more. The sight of him was making Rhadamanthys painfully hard, and while he wanted to tease him some more, he could barely contain himself.</p><p>“Enough! Rhada, come on, get inside me,” panted Kanon, looking over his shoulder at him.</p><p>Rhadamanthys licked his lips. The sight of Kanon like that, his back a tempting curve was too much. Somehow, he never got tired of him. He always desired him with the same overwhelming intensity in a way that he had never desired anyone before.</p><p>“Get on your back,” ordered Rhadamanthys.</p><p>“No, like this,” said Kanon in a breathless voice.</p><p>“You like this position so much, do you not like looking at me?”</p><p>Kanon laughed. “Idiot. No, you just do it harder like this. You get in deeper, and I love to feel you over me like this.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys moaned as he coated his dick with the lube. He couldn’t believe that Kanon could be so shameless, but at the same time, hearing him say that turned him on so much, he could no longer hold himself back, and entered Kanon in a single thrust. They both moaned at the feeling.</p><p>Rhadamanthys started thrusting right away, knowing that Kanon would only yell at him if he didn’t.</p><p>“Ah, you’ve-…you’ve gotten really good at this,” panted Kanon, then cried out at an especially hard thrust.</p><p>“I’ve practiced,” said Rhadamanthys, holding his hips harder, smirking at him as he thrusted, enjoying the noises that Kanon made. He would never say it, but he loved to hear him cry out, and enjoyed how shamelessly he moaned.</p><p>They didn’t last long, and Rhadamanthys reached around Kanon, grabbing his dick and stroking him in time with his thrusts. Kanon cried out and spilled himself all over Rhadamanthys’ hand, his entrance tightening and bringing Rhadamanthys over the edge along with him.</p><p>They fell down on the ground, Rhadamanthys mustering just enough energy to roll over and not collapse over Kanon.</p><p>“I’ve teached you too well,” said Kanon.</p><p>Rhadamanthys rolled his eyes, but said nothing. They stayed in silence together for a few minutes, until there came the sound of Kanon’s phone ringing again and Kanon jolted upright.</p><p>“Shit! It’s Saga!” he said, and stood up.</p><p>Kanon pulled on his pants and rushed to grab his phone from the corner and call Saga. Rhadamanthys grumbled in annoyance. When Kanon picked up, Rahadamanthys could hear Saga yelling from all the way where he was.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” said Kanon into the phone, looking around for his shirt. “I got distracted. I’m on my way. No! No, I’ll meet you up in Gemini in five minutes. Yes, I swear! Saga, I can move at the speed of light, of course I’ll be there in five minutes.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys looked around for the bottle they had set aside for themselves. He needed a drink. Every time Kanon spoke of anything having to do with Saga, he felt like he needed to be drunk to hear about it. Finally Kanon hung up, and Rhadamanthys threw him his shirt.</p><p>“Where was it?!” asked Kanon.</p><p>Rhadamanthys lifted an eyebrow at that. “Behind you,” he said “Is Saga losing his head?”</p><p>“Don’t even joke about it. I told him I would just do a quick run to the store. I’m going to be hearing his <em>You’re so irresponsible </em>speech all the way to the party.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys snickered at his impression of Saga’s voice. Kanon finished dressing himself and went to mess up Rhadamanthys’ hair. “Well, at least you’re not so weird now,” he said, letting his hand trace the side of Rhadamanthys’ face.</p><p>“I’m fine,” he said, grabbing Kanon’s hand and pulling him down for one last kiss.</p><p>Kanon pulled away from him. “Stop that. You’ll make me miss the party and then Saga will really lose his head.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys looked up at Kanon’s eyes, noticing they seemed so much bluer than green against the fire of their cave. For a moment, he thought of pulling him closer again. Of holding him and not letting him go anywyere.</p><p><em>Don’t go. Don’t go back there anymore.</em> He thought of saying, but the words died in his throat, and then Kanon stood up.</p><p>“I’ll send you photos if anyone catches on fire.”</p><p>“Anyone?”</p><p>“Last time it was Shura. I can’t believe I didn’t take any photos. It was great.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rhadamanthys changed himself and walked out of the cave, looking at the dark night sky overhead. It was a moonless night and the feeling of something heavy lurking around itched at his skin more than ever. As if there was something waiting, expecting, right out of the cave. As if when he looked up at the endless night above, an endless array of eyes stared back at him.</p><p>He went back inside the cave.</p><p>Athena waited there.</p><p>“So, you finally show up,” said Rhadamanthys, sitting across from her, looking at her through the flames of the fire between them. “You’ve kept me chained to this island for over a year and you finally decide to appear?”</p><p>“I needed to make sure you wouldn’t leave. I still have plans for you,” she said. There was a strange hollow quality to her voice. As if he was hearing her from far away.</p><p>“It’s taking so long, I was wondering if your plan was to leave me to die of old age,” he complained.</p><p>Athena extended her palm to him. “Your arm, please,” she said.</p><p>Rhadamanthys gritted his teeth and didn’t move. “What is it? I’m tired of waiting. What do you want from me?” he demanded.</p><p>Athena gave him a pleasant smile, and Rhadamanthys found himself extending his left arm at her, unable to control his own body. The fire between them dimmed, shifted, the heat fading as the flames turned blue, casting writhing shadows over the cave. Rhadamanthys swallowed, realizing all to clearly that he was before a goddess. A goddess who had crafted him the very body he was inhabiting.</p><p>He looked down at his arm, and saw that her seal had vanished.</p><p>She stood up. “Stay around,” she said. “Things will soon come to a close, and I might bestow another gift upon you.”</p><p>Rhadamathys woke up. He was lying in the blankets that made up his and Kanon’s bed. The fire on the cave had long since died out and he could hear far off the murmur of the waves as they crashed into the beach.</p><p>And the eyes. The eyes that seemed to always be upon him whenever he left the cave, it felt like they saw him now even inside the cave. He pushed himself up, the terrible sensation of feeling himself observed gave him nausea. He rubbed at his eyes when he heard someone laughing outside.</p><p>Kanon stumbled inside. A gray figure dressed in tattered clothes, silhoueted by the silver light of the moon.</p><p>“You’re not going to believe this!” he said, walking towards him. “The party crashed before we arrived! They were dragging Aioria and Aioros out when we got there,” he said. “Did I wake you up? Gods, it’s freezing in here, how did the fire die out so quickly?”</p><p>Kanon knelt down next to the cold heart, feeling around for the small pile of wood they kept nearby.</p><p>Rhadamanthys looked out. The heaviness under his skin, Athena’s imprisonment, had lifted. He felt lighter, quicker, free. Outside, the feeling of eyes staring at him and of a dark weight in the air, increased. He looked down at his hand, feeling the flames of his cosmos light up. He waved towards the fireplace, and it lit immediately. Kanon gasped.</p><p>“Did you do that? Did Athena restore your powers?” he asked, looking at Rhadamanthys, who pulled off the covers and passed a hand through his hair.</p><p>“Yes,” he said, and stood up.</p><p>Free. He was free.</p><p>“Well, that’s great. She trusts you now. Ah, we should celebrate but I couldn’t even steal any of the whiskey bottles. Saga took them back in the car,” said Kanon, leaning back and pouting. “Tomorrow we’ll get something nice.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys looked out, hearing the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks.</p><p>He considered his words for a moment, confused for once in his life about his own intentions. He took a deep breath.</p><p>“I’m leaving.”</p><p>“Where? It’s past midnight, come here,” said Kanon, crawling towards the bed.</p><p>Rhadamanthys motioned to follow him, then froze, realizing that he had been about to obey Kanon mindlessly and stay.</p><p>But he was free now.</p><p>He looked at Kanon as he shook his hair that had streaks of silver painted across it. That along with the makeup giving him sunken eyes, and the torn, aged clothes he wore would make for a compelling picture of death when he laid down to sleep. A calm death, unlike the one Rhadamanthys had once tried to give him. One that reminded him of all the souls he had once seen parading in front of him.</p><p>Rhadamanthys took a step forward and crouched down next to Kanon.</p><p>“I’m leaving now,” he said.</p><p>“Hmmm?” muttered Kanon, confused.</p><p>He looked up at Rhadamanthys’ eyes, really seeing him for the first time. Then his eyes traveled down, to Rhadamanthys’ forearm, where the seal of Athena had vanished. He reached out and traced over the skin with the tips of his fingers. The contact sent shivers down Rhadamanthys’ back.</p><p>“You’re still cold,” said Kanon in a whisper.</p><p>“Kanon…,” started Rhadamanthys, but then ran out of words. He didn’t know what to say. Come with me? Let’s leave together?</p><p>"Well, then scram,” said Kanon, pushing him away. “Before I tell the others"</p><p>“Kanon…”</p><p>“Go! I’ll give you an hour and then I’ll tell everyone.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys left.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alone and directionless, the world seemed like a much grander place to Rhadamanthys, so he went to the only place he had once known completely: His family’s state. He wanted to see the decay that all the years of disuse had wreaked on it.</p><p>The night that the energy of his star of misfortune had awoken in him and the surplice had consumed him… it had all been too confusing for him to really remember what had happened, other than feeling his new power and swearing loyalty to his lord Hades. But there were <em>some </em>things that he remembered. The wind. The sound of glass breaking. All disjointed fragments of memories that entwined with the feeling of going back home. As if he had been waiting for all his life to go back to his star, back to the underworld, back to his Lord.</p><p>As he made his way towards the estate, he started growing angry. They had lost. They had lost and he was nothing more than a doll in the hands of their enemies. Not even granted the dignity of a prisoner of war, but a toy for Athena to use and to keep in the doll house that was her sanctuary. He scoffed at the memory of her words <em>“Enjoy my hospitality”</em>, what kind of hospitality? He was sent to a damp cave with Kanon, another unwanted, and fed from the leftovers of the old Pope and the Libra Saint. Like some kind of beggar.</p><p>He had never thought much of it when he had been there, but now he resented it. He wondered if perhaps he hadn’t thought about all those humiliations because Kanon had suffered them along with him, and he never seemed to think of it all as a punishment. Kanon seemed to bask in the freedom of doing whatever he wanted with whatever he had. And so, Rhadamanthys had ended up doing the same. Sharing the days with him, and the food, and the bed. He thought once more about how Kanon had looked that last night. The costume had creeped him out but he only realized just how much when he dwelled on how much Kanon had looked like a corpse. A beautiful one, but a corpse nonetheless. Especially at the end, when he had sent him away and there was a rage burning in his eyes. He had seen that same rage in many tortured souls, but seeing it on Kanon… It brought him a strange feeling of anger. As if that shouldn’t have happened.</p><p>Yet again, he felt like he’d had another fight with his wife.</p><p>He shook his head and looked up ahead, where he could see the walls and the entrance to the state. They looked just the same as he remembered from his childhood memories. Not a single trace of decay on the walls of the surrounding wall, and there was even someone sweeping the entrance. Rhadamanthys approached him just as an old man with an ill fitting suit was walking out. Rhadamanthys figured he must be the new owner of the estate, and he sneered at him. He would have preferred to see it crumbling down in pieces than to know that someone else had bought it.</p><p>The man looked up at him, squinting at Rhadamanthys’ face. “Young man, do I know you?” he asked, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing at his forehead.</p><p>Rhadamanthys rolled his eyes at him and looked past him, past the gates, trying to see the house beyond.</p><p>“No,” he growled.</p><p>“Hmmm, but I do believe…I think that you…,” mumbled the man, and started patting the pockets of his jacket until he found something in one of the inner pockets, and pulled out a bunch of papers and a few photographs.</p><p>“Are you the owner?” asked Rhadamanthys, already fed up with having to deal with him. His family’s estate had been bought by some bumbling buffoon. This humiliation he could barely endure.</p><p>The man looked at the photos in his hand and then back at Rhadamanthys. “It’s you! You’re master Rhadamanthys! I’ve been waiting for you.”</p><p>That caught Rhadamanthys’ attention. After all, he’d had a different name back then, before the surplice consumed him. He snatched the photos from the man’s hands. One was an old photo of him with his mother. He seemed to be about six in the photo. He didn’t remember much, but that day when the photographer had come to the estate and they’d taken a serious of photos in the living room was still fresh in his memory. He pulled out the other photograph and felt his blood run even colder. A shiver ran down his back.</p><p>It was a photo of him and Kanon, sitting together at the entrance of the cave. Kanon had been playing around with his phone and taken photo after photo until Rhadamanthys took away the phone. There was a hint of a smile on Rhadamanthys’ lips, the edges of them curling up as he looked into the camera. Kanon of course, had his usual sharp smirk, giving his features an edge of danger that stirred nostalgia in Rhadamanthys’ chest.</p><p>He grabbed the old man by the front of his shirt, shaking him. “Where did you get these?” he roared at the man, who cringed, covering his face.</p><p>“They gave them to me! The men from the foundation gave them to me! They told me you would come back to the estate!” cried the man.</p><p>“What foundation?” asked Rhadamanthys, with a sinking feeling in his stomach.</p><p>The man hadn’t bought his estate. The Graude foundation had bought his estate.</p><p>So Athena now owned his house.</p><p>Rhadamanthys followed the man inside the house, looking at the way it had been restored to the most minimal detail and fuming that yet again, Athena had been playing with him.</p><p>Here he was, yet again, a doll at another one of her doll houses.</p><p>“I trust you will find that everything was fixed to how it was before…the incident,” said the man, waving at the dining room.</p><p>“The incident…” repeated Rhadamanthys to himself, tracing his fingertips over the wood of the dining table. He remembered very little. So very little about it all.</p><p>“Yes, most of it was still perfectly fine, after some cleaning and a coat of paint. The furniture has been restored except for the one in the back garden that burned down. We went with more modern furniture for it.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys nodded. The fire, he remembered the fire. It had consumed him there. The energy from his star and from the surplice. He had seen the trees and the chairs and the people around him burning to a crisp as he felt the fury of the star taking hold of his soul.</p><p>“Most of the work has been simple maintenance, of course. Such a large estate does require quite a bit of work to run. I was told by the foundation that when you arrived you would be taking over. But, well, it’s quite some work to keep up with everything…,” said the main, and Rhadamanthys understood that he wanted him to keep employing him to run the estate.</p><p>He sat down at his father’s couch in the living room.</p><p>“The foundation said I would take over?” he asked, realizing that this had been Athena’s “gift” that she had mentioned. It didn’t make up for having a body cold as a corpse, but it was still something. “What else did they say?”</p><p>“Uhmm, nothing. Nothing more. I have the papers for you to sign if you wish.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys shook his head. He didn’t want to play Athena’s game. “Later. I’m tired now. Keep everything as it is. As if I hadn’t arrived. I’ll decide what to do in the next few days.”</p><p>The old man nodded. “Yes, of course. And everything is ready for you to stay, but the servants will arrive tomorrow. We weren’t ready…”</p><p>Rhadamanthys waved his concerns away. “I can fare on my own for a night. Don’t worry about it. We’ll talk tomorrow, it doesn’t matter.”</p><p>With that, he dismissed the old man, and closed the door of the house. He was much bigger than he had been when he lived there, but the house still loomed around him, big and dark and silent.</p><p>It had never been so silent when he was a child, and the sense of it unnerved him a little. But he paid it no mind. He wanted to be alone for a while.</p><p>He walked around the back garden, staring at the new trees and the new planters full of colorful flowers. Everything there was different. His parents had never had colorful flowers. Only an expanse of green grass and green trees. He stayed there until the sky darkened and it started raining.</p><p>He went back inside to the kitchen to cook something. The fridge was full of a variety of things, but he suddenly felt tired so he simply grabbed some eggs and some bacon, like he used to have in the mornings with Kanon because it was the only thing that they both could do without messing up. He cooked distractedly, taking looks out the kitchen windows to see the sky growing darker and darker, the rain coming in harder against the glass panes.</p><p>Once he was done and he sat down at the kitchen table, he realized he had made too much food. He had made enough for two, maybe three, since Kanon always ate way more than him. He grunted in annoyance and passed his hands through his hair. He pulled the photograph that he had taken from the old man out of his pocket and looked at it. So Kanon had really told Athena that he had left, and she had sent the photo to this man, to get ready for when Rhadamanthys inevitably tried to return to the only place that he could return to.</p><p>Gods and goddesses, they really did play long games with the souls of mortals. It annoyed him that Kanon had let her use that kind of photograph, but it didn’t surprise him. After all, Kanon had taken his own life along with Rhadamanthys’s life for Athena. He had endured a childhood of torment for her. This was nothing for him.</p><p>Rhadamanthys put away the photograph, wondering what else had been nothing more than Athena’s games. Had Kanon been pretending all the time? Had it meant nothing for him to spread his legs and seduce him?</p><p>Rhadamanthys’ memories went back to that night when Aioros had been brought back and Kanon had stumbled into the cave, absolutely losing his mind because Saga had once lost control and Kanon knew that he could lose control again.</p><p>No, that couldn’t have been fake.</p><p>Most likely though, Kanon had been yet another of Athena’s toys, to keep behind in the dark.</p><p>A spare Gemini.</p><p>One that would come back crawling at her no matter what. Jumping at the possibility of simply being recognized as the Gemini saint, no matter what he had endured in that house.</p><p>Rhadamanthys growled, and found he had no more appetite.</p><p>He went upstairs to bed.</p><p>The old single bed in his room had been replaced by a king sized one, but other than that, everything was the same as the last time he had been in his room. He walked towards the tall window next to the dresser and looked out at the black sky. The rain had turned into a storm roaring overhead and thunder fell on the forest nearby.</p><p>Rhadamanthys pursed his lips and went to bed, annoyed at how fast and hard the storm had grown. He took off his shoes and slipped into bed just as another flash of lightning illuminated the sky, the roar of thunder following close. He laid down and turned on his side, reaching out towards Kanon’s side, knowing that his nightmares were always much worse when it stormed.</p><p>But Kanon wasn’t there.</p><p>His hands touched only the cold sheets. The bed as cold as his own body. He clenched his hands into fists. If only Kanon hadn’t been so rash. If only he’d tried to calm him down. If only…What? If only he’d managed to convince him to leave the Sanctuary and Athena? That would have never happened and he knew it. If their roles had been different…Not even Kanon would have convinced him to leave Hades. He reached for the phone lying on the bedside table, unlocking it and looking at Kanon’s number. Maybe he should call?  Would there also be a storm where he was? Was he staying at the cave or had he gone back to Gemini and to Saga?</p><p>He set the phone back on the table, angry at his own racing thoughts.</p><p>The Storm raged on.</p><p>He fell asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The power had gone out.</p><p>Rhadamanthys walked downstairs, a candle in hand. The wind and the storm around still roared. The wind rattling the windows and shaking the trees outside.</p><p>He found Athena and Kanon sitting at the living room. Athena drinking a cup of tea. Kanon slumped next to her, his long tangled hair falling over his face.</p><p>Rhadamanthys gritted his teeth at the scene. “What do you want?” he demanded, setting the candle on the table.</p><p>"The moment approaches,” she said. “I would appreciate if you came back."</p><p>"And I would appreciate if you would fuck off. Just because Hades is gone, doesn't mean I'm going to obey you.”</p><p>Kanon jumped up and ran out of the living room.</p><p>“Wait! Kanon!” yelled Rhadamanthys, then turned to Athena. “What did you do to him?!”</p><p>Athena set down her cup and vanished.</p><p>Rhadamanthys ran after Kanon. Outside the living room, he ran into someone lying on the floor. His heart jumped and he crouched down to look at him but it wasn’t Kanon. It was someone that seemed very familiar somehow. Lightning flashed outside, filling the house with a sharp light and letting him see it was his father. Blood flowed from a gash across his chest and his head hung limp. A couple steps away, his mother’s lifeless eyes stared back at him from her severed head.</p><p>The light faded, and suddenly, memories started falling into place in Rhadamanthys’ head. Of course. How could he have forgotten.</p><p>He’d killed them himself.</p><p>He’d torn his mother’s head off her shoulder, cut down everyone he could reach, even his father. Used their deaths to feed the surplice. To strengthen his star of ferocity and misfortune.</p><p>He let go of his father’s body, feeling his blood sticking to his hands. Cold. Cold like him. He jumped over their bodies, passed by the bodies of all the other servants that he’d killed, lying around like dolls, bleeding over walls and floors.</p><p>He ran up the stairs, through the door to his room, and saw Kanon lying across the bed. His wild hair a halo around his head. Rhadamanthys ran to him, shaking him.</p><p>“Kanon! Kanon what did she do to you?!” he yelled.</p><p>Kanon cried out, pushing him away. “No! Stop! Saga, please! Stop!” he begged, eyes still closed like he did when the nightmares came back during the storms. He gasped for breath, his hands going to his throat, his voice dying down, asphyxiating in Rhadamanthys’ arms.</p><p>“Kanon! Kanon it’s not real! Kanon!” yelled Rhadamanthys.</p><p>Kanon fell limp down on the bed. His eyes empty and unseeing. Dead. Rhadamanthys pulled his face up, leaving traced of blood on Kanon’s skin.</p><p>"No. Don't go. Don't leave without me!" he cried.</p><p>He wake up, sitting up in bed and gasping for breath. Outside, the storm had passed, the wind nothing but a soft whisper through the trees.</p><p>Athena sat at the end of the bed, staring at him.</p><p>“Why?” asked Rhadamanthys, and felt tears falling from the corner of his eyes. “Did you bring me back just to torture me? Is this your vengeance? Are you going to punish me and Kanon like this until we die again? You won! Leave us alone!”</p><p>A small smile pulled at the corners of Athena’s lips. “Hades would have already taken him away from you. He would have made you kill him just like he made you kill your family.”</p><p>Rhadamanthys hung his head. “So you’re just torturing us like this?”</p><p>“I haven’t done anything to Kanon. I asked you to stay, he wanted you to stay... But you cling to your hatred of me.”</p><p>“So you think you can break me like this? With your ridiculous kindness and hospitality? You think I’ll just give up and serve you because you won the war?”</p><p>"Quite funny of you to forget that Hades and I have fought this war for innumerable ages,” said Athena. “As long as the stars have burned in the darkness of space, we have chosen our soldiers to fight for us. Training them through the wheels of karma, strengthening them again and again through each reincarnation."</p><p>"So you're playing the long game, uh? Longer than I can play?"</p><p>"Oh, Radamanthys, you have been playing. But it's too disruptive to let you remember. We tried it a few times. No, too much disruption on our strategy. Even Hades could see that. Brute as he was. A brute. A careless brute. He never noticed that in each incarnation where you and Kanon met, you died together."</p><p>"You can't be serious," said Rhadamanthys, unwilling to believe that.</p><p>"I, of course, am far more observant. I not only noticed that. I noticed the relationship you always developed. I noticed your bond."</p><p>"Really? Because I don't see Kanon anywhere here. He wouldn’t follow me when I escaped your prison."</p><p>Athena shook her head, a small smile still playing at her lips. "He's in your heart, and that's all the bond I needed to have on you"</p><p>"Aren't you too confident on that? We fucked a few times, big deal. I’ve fucked a lot of women,” lied Rhadamanthys, pushing off the blankets and sitting on the edge of the bed.</p><p>Athena reached out, offering him a phone. "I borrowed Saga's phone for a moment,” she said and winked at him. "Look quickly, I have to give it back soon"</p><p>Rhadamanthys grabbed the phone and looked at the messages on the screen. They were sent to Kanon from Saga’s phone. None had received an answer</p><p>I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me.</p><p>At least tell me where you are.</p><p>It's been a week Kanon! If you're deserting again at least let me know!</p><p>Rhadamanthys turned to look at Athena, but she had vanished. He looked back down at the phone in his hands, but it was gone too.</p><p>The wind outside rustled among the branches of the trees, as if a soft voice laughed at him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p><p>Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment. It would mean a lot to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kanon had been kidnapped.</p><p>Out of all the things that could have happened to him, he did not expect Poseidon to up and send his goons to beat him up and drag him down to Atlantis. So now he was forced to kneel before Poseidon’s throne, held back by Io and Baian.</p><p>“So everyone’s toys have come back, that’s good to know,” said Kanon, his voice raspy from the beatings he had got.</p><p>Poseidon lifted an eyebrow at him. “Kanon, I tire of you. Tell me what Athena is planning and I’ll make sure your death is painless,” he said.</p><p>“For the last time, I don’t know! I’m not even a saint! She still keeps me in a cave, I-“</p><p>Poseidon waved a hand and Baian kicked him in the stomach.</p><p>“Kanon, your lies are so tedious,” he said and stood up. “If she thought you a traitor she would not have allowed you into her sanctuary. Now, I’ll be generous. Tell me what Athena is planning, and you can leave.”</p><p>Kanon licked his lips, thinking up a plausible story. Any story that Poseidon would believe. He thought of telling him about Rhadamanthys and Shion coming back.</p><p>“S-Saga. She wants to get rid of Saga,” he said, his first thoughts being to throw Saga under the bus. He could defend himself well enough.</p><p>Poseidon sighed and looked to the side. “Sorrento,” he called.</p><p>Sorrento approached, carrying a flask filled with a bright blue liquid. Poseidon grabbed it and then grabbed Kanon’s hair, pulling his face up. Kanon struggled and was about to overpower the two marinas holding him down, but Sorrento started playing a strange melody that sapped his energy. He felt himself relaxing under the hold, his body unresponsive to him.</p><p>“We’ll do this the hard way,” said Poseidon. “Let me inside.”</p><p>Kanon felt himself lose all control of his body. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth, letting Poseidon drop the contents of the flask into his mouth.</p><p>Instantly he felt the liquid freezing everything in it’s path. He tried to scream but his throat was frozen, and he felt himself falling. Falling from a great height, down into an enveloping darkness. A fall that felt like falling yet again into the darkness of death.</p><p>He opened his eyes and looked above at a great spiral above him. He was at the bottom of a great blue tower. Off into the distance, he could hear the whisper of the waves and the sounds of the sea. He blinked, seeing something move through the stairs that spiraled up through the tower. The figure had long blue hair and it opened a door.</p><p>Kanon blinked and was thrown into the memory of a day in the Sanctuary, when he had tried to steal Shion’s Pope helmet to wear it. Saga had tried to dissuade him, but when that failed, he stayed guard at the door, looking out for Shion approaching.</p><p><em>“Hurry up! Let’s go!” </em>hissed Saga from the door while Kanon tried on the helmet.</p><p><em>“I look cool, right? Saga? Look!” </em>said Kanon from the mirror.</p><p>Saga looked out the door and then back to Kanon, and his face paled. Kanon instantly knew they had been busted. He whirled around to find that Shion had teleported himself inside the room and stared down at them with a look of disapproval.</p><p>Kanon blinked and found himself back at the bottom of the tower. He saw the figure above close the door and proceed to the next one. Pieces fell into place in his mind.</p><p>Inside.</p><p>They were inside.</p><p>Inside of his mind or his soul or wherever, but Poseidon was going through all of his memories. Decided to find out whatever Athena was doing, he was about to rummage through Kanon’s entire life in order to find it. He was going through all of his lies and all of his secrets.</p><p>Kanon jumped up, running through the stairs. “Stop!” he yelled.</p><p>Poseidon turned to give him a bored look as he opened yet another door.</p><p>Kanon was thrown back to one of the bad nights before Saga had locked him in Cape Sunion. When he had awoken to find him above him.</p><p><em>“Kanon, Kanon, wake up,” </em>said the thing that wore Saga’s face, his hands around Kanon’s neck. <em>“Let’s play Kanon. Play with me,” it lifted Kanon’s head and smashed it against the stone of the bed.</em></p><p>Back then Kanon had been hidden from everyone, and so he slept in the hard slab of stone next to Saga’s bed. So the thing inside Saga had liked to hit him against the stone. Make him bleed as he strangled him.</p><p>Kanon stepped back from the vision, looking around for Poseidon. For an exit. For anything.</p><p>“Stop! Poseidon stop!” he yelled, seeing himself beaten yet again by the darkness inside Saga.</p><p>The vision faded and Poseidon closed the door. Kanon found himself back inside the tower as Poseidon proceeded to yet another door. Kanon ran up to him and punched at him. His fist went right through Poseidon’s body.</p><p>“Stop!” he yelled, trying uselessly to grab Poseidon’s form, but his hands went through him like water. His despair grew as he thought of how at any moment, through any of those doors, the memory of that night would appear. He couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t stand to see it and he couldn’t bear to let anyone else see it.</p><p>Poseidon gave him a bored look. “Then tell me what I want to know,” he said.</p><p>Kanon fell to his knees. “I don’t know it. I don’t know anything,” he lied, even knowing that Poseidon could see right through him.</p><p>Poseidon kept going to the next door.</p><p>The tower shook, and among the sounds of the sea, they could hear explosions. Something crumbling around them. Poseidon looked up, annoyed, listening as another explosion shook the tower.</p><p>“What have you-?” he started, when the tower crumbled around them.</p><p>Kanon blinked, and found himself back in his body, still kneeling before Poseidon, but Io and Baian laid on the ground, while the hall they were in fell apart around them. Near the entrance stood Rhadamanthys, clothes torn and evidently hurt, but still holding strong.</p><p>“Kanon!” he yelled, “Let’s go!”</p><p>Kanon tried to get up, but Poseidon swept him aside with his trident. It felt like being hit by a great wave, and it sent Kanon flying against the opposite wall.</p><p>“You, how dare you enter my palace?!” yelled Poseidon, stalking towards Rhadamanthys “Bow before the god of the seas!”</p><p>Rhadamanthys scoffed. “I am Wyvern Rhadamathys, judge of Hell, and now I answer to no god!” he yelled, and lifted his arms. “Greatest Caution!”</p><p>His attack broke through the roof of the hall, causing it to collapse over them. The force of it throwing down the pillars supporting the structure until the walls started crumbling.</p><p>Kanon jumped to his feet and used a golden triangle to bypass Poseidon standing between them. Among the debris and the dust he reappeared next to Rhadamanthys, grabbed him, and used another golden triangle to get away from Poseidon. But midway, he felt his powers fading, the structure of the triangle around them constricting. He opened and exit and they fell out to the ground, still on Poseidon’s domains under the ocean.</p><p>“Fuck, Poseidon is messing with my techniques,” he said as they both jumped to their feet. Behind them they could see smoke coming from Poseidon’s temple. Kanon grabbed Rhadamanthys’ hand. “I’ll try with Another Dimension.”</p><p>“I’ll fight him!” said Rhadamanthys.</p><p>“Nooooo. No, no, no,” said Kanon, pulling together all the power he could without the Gemini cloth. “Another-!”</p><p>Spheres of water surrounded them, separating them and holding them up in the air. Poseidon appeared before them.</p><p>“Stupid mortals,” he said, walking towards them. “Athena’s warriors have always been the most annoying ones. But you…you don’t belong to her.”</p><p>Rhadamathys tried to escaped the sphere of water, but it contained him completely.</p><p>“I remember you… You belonged to Hades. Hmmm, so, that is what she’s trying to do…,” he said, looking at Rhadamanthys. The spheres lost shape and let go of them, making them fall to the ground. “Athena always things she’s so smart. Wining battles by a hairs breath. Let’s see if she calculated this one right.”</p><p>He grabbed Kanon and pulled him up to his feet. Rhadamanthys stood up with a growl, ready to attack.</p><p>Poseidon shoved his trident into Kanon’s hands. “Take it to her,” he said, and pushed him away. "Tell her to give it back as soon as she's done. And tell her that I expect Kraken back. Now get out of my sight.”</p><p>Kanon blinked, holding Poseidon’s trident in his hands. He thought about asking for an explanation, but then his survival instincts activated and grabbed Rhadamanthys’ hand, taking them out of Poseidon’s domains by using Another Dimension.</p><p>They reappeared near the entrance to their cave, stumbling down on the sand below them. Kanon grabbed Poseidon’s trident with all his strength, feeling it’s power weighing it down. Rhadamanthys went to him and helped him stand.</p><p>"How do you feel? What did he do to you?" asked Rhadamanthys. </p><p>“Nothing, I’m fine. I just got a bit beat up,” said Kanon, but let Rhadamanthys help him walk. His whole body was in pain. “So, you came back,” he said.</p><p>“Mhm.”</p><p>“Athena sent you to get me?”</p><p>Rhadamanthys growled. “I don’t take orders from Athena,” he said as they both made their way up.</p><p>“Then what were you doing at Poseidon’s palace?” asked Kanon.</p><p>“Rescuing you.”</p><p>“Look, it’s a pain in the ass to be pulling the truth out of you-”</p><p>Rhadamanthys shut him up with a kiss. “Don’t make me say it,” he said against his lips when they separated. Then they kept going forward, supporting each other until they reached the entrance.</p><p>Kanon’s heart raced in his chest. He let his head fall against Rhadamanthys’ shoulder. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with me,” he whispered.</p><p>Rhadamanthys let go of him and sat down on the sand where he squeezed the hair out of his hair. “Don’t worry, I won’t,” he said, then took out his shoes and started shaking out the water in them.</p><p>Kanon looked off to the distance towards the sanctuary, wondering how he was going to explain this and just what the hell was going on. He noticed a great dark column rising from the town of Rodorrio, and then another one gathering at the Sanctuary. Next to him, Rhadamanthys pointedly didn’t look at the darkness.</p><p>“If you had anything to do with this, I’m kicking your ass,” said Kanon.</p><p>Rhadamanthys finally looked up towards the Sanctuary and sighed. Everything finally making sense to him.</p><p>“That wasn’t me,” he said. “But what did you expect to happen, leaving the underworld to its own devices? No judges and no kings and no one to guard the gate between the worlds… We had actual jobs you know?”</p><p>“Let’s go.”</p><p>“Hell no.”</p><p>“You’re coming on your own two feet, or I’m dragging you there kicking and screaming.”</p><p>Radamanthys muttered a litany of curses as he followed Kanon to the Sanctuary.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The end. But if you want to find out what the hell was going on at the sanctuary, then go read my ShuraxAioros fic "Apologies" which details exactly what is the dark thing hanging over the world.</p><p>Aaaand we're done! We're finished! Ah, this was such a challenge to write. I think this has been the most complicated fic I've written because I had never tried my hand at writing these characters and I wasn't very much a fan of them. I just wrote it because it was requested of me. But after this whole journey to write this fic, I have now become a fan of this pairing. I really enjoy them and enjoy the way their personalities match. But oof, this has got to be the fic with the most smut scenes I've ever written. I guess they're just a hot pairing in their own right, hahaha!</p><p>But I really hope that it has been a fun story to read. Please let me know your thoughts on this story. I would love to know what people thought of my take on them, since I was so new to the pairing when I wrote it.</p><p>You can find me on twitter as @alexdamien<br/>For updates on my writing go to alexdamien.wordpress.com</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi! Thank you for reading my fanfic! I hope that you liked it and if you would like to read more stories like this, <a href="http://eepurl.com/hsRDFH">sign up for my newsletter, where I often give away novels, novellas and short stories</a>. Soon I will be giving away my new novella ReBirth based on my series ReLiving. (and I also share photos of my dog U.U)</p><p>You can go also <a href="https://urlgeni.us/instagram/alxdamien">chat up with me on insta @alex_damien</a> where I share a ton of memes and keep talking about my new superhero thriller Remembrance! It has a ton of gay characters, btw!</p><p>  </p></blockquote></div></div>
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